UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 



D. B. RAY'S 



TEXT BOOK ON CAMPBELLM 



|«M^ 



to 



exp(!tst:d. 



B 



G. R. HAND 



' / 






ST. LOUIS: 

CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 

i88o. 



9t 







Entered according to act of Congress, A. D. 1880, by 

CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. D. C, 



PREFACE. 

The presence of poison in the system, indicates 
the demand for an antidote. So the existence, and 
circulation of a book full of deadly poison, sug 
gests the demand for an antidote. This must be my 
excuse for consenting to expose the Text Book on 
Campbellism. The work has been performed un- 
der disadvantages, in the midst of protracted meet- 
ings. Away from home on a preaching tour when 
I received the first notice that my brethren desired 
me to write the Expose, I obtained a copy of the 
Text Book, examined it carefully, visited various 
places and consulted the authorities referred to and 
took notes, commenced the work, progressed, and 
completed the manuscript before returning home. 

So it .has all been written away from home, from 
my studio, and from my library, preaching every 
night and writing in the day, at various places, in 
the midst of company, with conversation going on 
around me, and it is not impossible that errors or 
oversights may have crept in ; indeed it would be 
astonishing if they had not. 

To compress the work within prescribed limits, 
I have classified and arranged the topics, and con- 
sulted brevity, almost to meagreness in exegesis, 

(iii) 



IV PREFACE. 

and yet many points in my notes, claiming atten- 
tion, have been crowded out for want of space. 
Still I think the outline is as elaborate as prudence, 
under the circumstances, demands. 

It is exceedingly unpleasant to be under the ne- 
cessity of exposing so many falsehoods. The task 
of meeting honest argument, or logical, or scrip- 
tural objections to our real teachings, were a dif- 
ferent work. But the falsehood, and misrepresen- 
tation, the persistent mis-statements of the teach- 
ings, the men of straw built and demolished, and 
the unmannerly calling of nick-names, and oppro- 
brious epithets, carry the Text Book clear out of 
the field of honorg^ble disputation. In honorable 
controversy, each is expected to regard his opponent 
as honestl}^ seeking the truth, but that would re- 
quire an eruptive stretch of the imagination, in a 
case where the evidence of the contrary is con- 
stantly before the eye. But I have endeavored 
to make the bright sunshine of truth stand out in 
contrast with the dark shades of falsehood. 



INTRODUCTION. 

And now, in the eighth decade of the nineteenth century 
appears a phenomenon, in the form of a book of strange pre- 
tentions. The virus of vindictive misrepresentation seems to 
permeate its entire system, and so completely fill it, like disease 
in the human system, as to cause it to ** break out" on the 
back, assuming the malignant type of ** Text Book on Camp- 
BELLiSAi." A careful diagnosis yields the following 

ANALYSIS OF THE TITLE. 

1. Camfbellism, What is it? A myth, an imaginary entity, 
an excogitation of the brain of the author of the Text Book, 
full fledged and full grown from its birth, a grotesque caricature, 
a man of straw created and predestinated to endure the pugi- 
listic blows of him from whom it claims paternity. If ** bodily 
exercise profits " him in this gymnastic tournament, in a blood- 
less battle against a nonentity, and gives him pleasure, let him 
enjoy it to satiety while he may, and before the great judgment 
day shall reveal the enormity of his iniquity, and unveil, in its 
native ugliness, and huge deformity, the true inwardness of the 
deformed and depraved bantling he has thrown before the 
world. 

2. Text Book. For whom? Is Campbellism a science, need- 
ing a Text Book to assist the student in his study? Is it adopted 
as a Text Book in any theological seminary? They do not need 
that addition to their literature. Christians do not want it. 
They despise the slanderous thing. Honest people of the 
world do not need to study such a monstrosity. Intelligent Bap- 
tists will repudiate the thing, as replete with falsehood and mis- 
representation, and will wash their hands of any complicity with 
the iniquitous concern. But as he submits it, in the preface, ** to 
the Baptist brotherhood especially," and the intelligent ones 

(v) 



VI INTRODUCTION. 

have no use for it, we shall regard it as a Text Book for ignorant 
Baptists, to poison their minds, and prejudice them against 
receiving the vv^ord of God, the seed of the kingdom, and thus 
leave the way open for the devil to take away the seed from the 
hearts of the way-side hearers. And here, I think, crops out 
the true 

ANIMUS OF THE BOOK. 

When my brethren called upon me to write an Expose of the 
Text Book on Campbellism, I had never seen the [concern, 
and I did not suppose there lived a man in a Christian land, capa- 
ble of crowding so much falsehood, slander and misrepresenta- 
tion, into one book. I at first thought the thing was beneath 
notice. But it is thought that innocent persons may be deceived 
by the false statements, receiving them as true, and the cause of 
truth be prejudiced. Hence I have consented to notice it. 

In this review, I am dealing with the book, not the author. 
With the latter I have no personal acquaintance, and can be 
prompted by no personal animosity in anything I may say. Had 
the book been anonymous, we should naturally suppose the devil 
to be its author, as it seems to be written in his interest, and 
doing his work, and thus significantly squinting towards Satanic 
paternity. I think the more appropriate title would be The 
Devil's Text Book, as suggestive of its appropriate sphere of 
service. 

When a book, or an article in a paper, commences with a lie 
in the first paragraph, I do no expect to find much truth there- 
after. As Campbellism and Campbellites, etc., are implied lies, 
as here used, when I find a book labeled Campbellism on the 
outside, I regard it as an advertisement that we may expect to 
find falsehood running rampant through its pages, and truth a 
comparative strangerjthere. When I hear a person, even a 
stranger, saying Campbellite, that person sinks in my estima- 
tion, very much like a person using profane language. It may 
proceed from a wicked heart, or it may be from force of habit, 
or thoughtlessly, not reflecting upon the stain it leaves upon his 
soul. 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER. PAGE. 

I. The Churches, . . . . .9. 

II. Bearing False Witness, . . . . 13. 

ill. False Accusations, . . . . . i^, 

IV. The Gospel First Preached on Pentecost, . 44. 

V. Development of Gospel Light, . , • 50- 

VI. Misrepresentations by Unfair Quotations, . 54. 

VII. Misrepresentations Continued, , . .67. 

VIII. Buzzards' Glory, . • . . . 91. 

IX. The Setting up of the Kingdom, . . .113. 

X. The Foundation a Trie^ Stone, . . 138. 

XI. The Key Power, . . . , . 145. 

XII. The Ante-Crucifixion Kingdom, , . 150. 

XIII. Turning to God, Conversion, , " . . 154. 
XrV. Repentance Toward God and Faith Toward our 

Lord Jesus Christ, • . . . 166. 
XV. Church Succession, ..... 173. 

(vii) 



Vlll CONTENTS. 

XVI. Remission — Justification, . . . 183. 

XVII. The Name Christian, . . . .210. 

XVIII. Ambassadors, . . . . . 219. 

XIX. The Double Creed, . . . . . 225. 

XX. The Devil's Dictionary, . . . 228. 
XXI. Exegetical and Miscellaneous, . . . 229. 

XXII. Conclusion, ..... 243. 



RAY'S 

Text Book Exposed. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE CHURCHES. 

In the days of the apostles, men and women 
heard, believed, and obeyed the gospel as preached 
by these ambassadors of Christ. Giving them- 
selves to the Lord, in obeying the gospel, they then 
gave themselves to one another in the fellowship or 
partnership capacity of the local church or congre- 
gation for the purpose of carrying on the work of 
the Lord in that vicinity. 

These congregations were called chu.rches of 
Christ, or churches of God, and the disciples who 
composed the membership were called Christians. 
They had Christ for their Head, the apostles' teach- 
ing, or New Testament Scriptures as their manual 
of faith and practice. One church or congrega- 
tion v/as not subject to another church or hierar- 
chy for its existence, authority, or laws, but 
wherever men and women "became obedient to 
the faith," it was their privilege to constitute and 
set in order a church, working under the '' general 

(9) 



lO TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

charter," the Christian Scriptures. This privi- 
lege inhered in the churches of the apostoHc age. 

During the succeeding centuries, and on down 
through the ages, the same book or general charter 
has survived and continued in force, the same 
Head of the Church still lives, and the same privi- 
lege of organizing under the general charter con- 
ceded, and communities of Christians thus consti- 
tuted were found claiming and exercising these 
privileges. 

In this nineteenth century, in the United States 
and in Europe, and other portions of the earth, 
there are churches or congregations of disciples of 
Christ, constituted in like manner, under the gen- 
eral charter, the inspired word of God, as their 
only recognized authoritative guide, acknowledg- 
ing Christ as their only Prophet, Priest, and King, 
and the Great Head of the Church, and calling 
themselves Christians, as the disciples of Christ 
were called in the apostolic age, and discarding 
all uninspired human creeds or distinctive sectarian 
names. 

We claim that this God-given right has never 
been taken away by the Head of the Church, and 
that congregations thus constituted and set in 
order, in any part of the world are, and of right 
ought to be considered churches of Christ, with all 
the rights and immunities thereto pertaining. 

These are the churches against which the malev- 
olent shafts of the Text Book are leveled, these 



THE CHURCHES. II 

the people that are therein stigmatized as Camp- 
beUites, and this following the inspired teaching, 
the abused doctrine so flippantly, slanderously, and 
blasphemously caricatured as Campbellism. 

The Text Book claims to speak from a Baptist 
stand point, apparently oblivious to the old proverb 
that: " Those who live in glass houses should not 
throw stones." Any child that can read the New 
Testament through can learn that there is no Bap- 
tist church known in the New Testament, and that 
no followers or disciples of Christ are in that book 
ever called Baptists, but that they are called Chris- 
tians. Historians know that no Baptist churches 
appear on the pages of history, anterior to the 
" dark ages," and no communities of Christians, 
calling themselves Baptists during the same period. 
These are simple historical facts. But this subject 
will be treated in its place. 

The author of the Text Book, by way of excuse 
for opposing the people he is slandering, claims 
to find a precedent in the case of Paul disputing 
in the school of Tyrannus, p. 3. But there is no 
analogy at this point. I admit that he can claim, 
as his prototype, '' Saul, yet breathing out threat- 
enings and slaughter against the disciples of the 
Lord," and reproduce his animus, in ''being ex- 
ceedingly mad against them." But if that is any 
honor to him I would not strip him of his laurels. 
He claims to represent the Baptists, and seems to 
make Baptist usage his measuring reed, by which 



12 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

to measure even Scripture itself, as will appear 
further along. And what is a Baptist church, 
that it should be made the standard of faith and 
practice ? A bantling of post mediaeval growth . If 
the animus of the Text Book is a fair exponent of 
Baptist faith and manners, let me wash my hands 
from its contamination, and be delivered from its 
contagion. But far be it from me to charge upon 
our Baptist brethren all the errors and perversions 
of the Text Book. 



CHAPTER II. 

BEARING FALSE WITNESS. 

There are two waj^s of bearing false witness : 
((3^) By explicit statement. (^) By implication. 
The one may be called a predicated falsehood, 
the other an implied falsehood. But these little 
things, these what-you-call-ems, these somethings 
that a man says explicitly or implicitly, when he 
knows they are not so, need not be called " white 
lies," when known to be of the opposite color. 

If a man should say that he saw a flock of flying 
goats, sailing through the air and lighting on the 
barn, some innocent persons might question his 
veracity. And his explanation or excuse that they 
were birds, but he chose to call them goats would 
scarcely in the minds of children, exonerate him 
from the charge of willful deception. 

In the Text Book, the Disciples of Christ are per- 
sistently called Campbellites, and they are never 
so called in the Scriptures ; and the apostles' doc- 
trine which they adopt, as persistently called Camp- 
bellism, and the churches constituted under the 
general charter, the New Testament, called Camp- 
bellite churches. Every instance of this kind I 
regard as a palpable violation of the ninth com- 

13 



14 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

mandment which says : '' Thou shalt not bear false 
witness against thy neighbor." Then the Disciples 
of Christ are stigmatized as disciples of Alexander 
Campbell, a charge which the false accuser, with 
all his "wiles" never brought against the dis- 
ciples in the apostolic age. It remained for that 
species of vindictiveness to culminate in the nine- 
teenth century. When it is considered that these 
nicknames, slanderous appellations, and opprobri- 
ous epithets, are evidently intended to create preju- 
dice against the people and teaching so named, it 
will scarcely be admitted that these implied false- 
hoods are less culpable than \}iiQ, -predicated on^^. 

Of these implied falsehoods, the Text Book con- 
tains over six hundred by actual count, and I can 
give the pages on which they occur. 

Of predicated misrepresentations, false accusa- 
tions, etc., they come trooping by scores, till they 
merge into the hundreds. I will present some 
specimens of these in succeeding chapters, but 
space will forbid my calling attention to all. 

I have heard of men " rolling sin under their 
tongue as a sweet morsel." But that one man 
should aggregate such a mouthful of them as to 
spit out over half a thousand in one book, startles 
us as one of the " seven wonders of the age." 

Let me say once for all that there are no Camp- 
bellite churches, nor Campbellites, except in the 
imaginations of men. If Mr. Ray has colonized 
a body of Campbellites, in some portion of this 



BEARING FALSE WITNESS. 15 

physical universe, let him have the credit of it, 
and wear with blushing honors the title of " Daddy 
of all the Campbellites." 

No congregation has ever been organized under 
the name, Campbellite. No church has ever 
adopted the writings of Alexander Campbell as 
their creed or rules of faith and practice. They 
receive nothing as authoritative, because from Mr. 
Campbell. If he teaches according to the New 
Testament, and they teach and practice according 
to the same book, they must harmonize ; but if Mr. 
Campbell teaches not according to the Scriptures, 
they differ from him just as they would differ 
from any other teacher or preacher. 

I have preached over five thousand discourses, 
and never once quoted from Mr. Campbell, or ap- 
pealed to him as authority, and never went to his 
writings to learn what to preach. Indeed, I had 
been a member of the church eighteen years, and 
preached hundreds of discourses before I read Mr. 
Campbell's Treatise on the Christian System, a 
book which ignorant persons have called Mr. 
Campbell's Creed. I would differ from Mr. C. 
in my teaching just as soon as I would differ from 
any other man. If Mr. Ray can find errors in Mr. 
Campbell's teaching, he has no right to charge 
them on the .churches, or the Disciples of Christ. 
They are not responsible for his errors. He was 
only one of many who struggled to discard 
the errors of modern theology and modern creeds, 



l6 TEXT BOOIt E:XPOSED. 

and take nothing but the pure word of God for 
their guide. Then it is not fair, to say the least, 
to make Mr. Campbell a scape-goat, to bear all 
the sin of returning to the ''apostles' doctrine," as 
their only guide in faith and manners. 

I come not to defend Mr. Campbell's doctrine as 
such. But I am set for the defence of the teach- 
ing of the Scriptures, which are so perverted in the 
Text Book. But where Mr. Campbell is maligned, 
traduced and slandered, I am at liberty to expose 
the miserable attempt to heap opprobrium upon the 
character of the dead. And this I propose doing to 
some extent. 

I have in my notes about three hundred passages 
in the Text Book demanding attention, but space 
will compel me to generalize, segregate, aggregate 
classify and condense, in order to bring it into 
reasonable space. 



CHAPTER III. 

FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 

I. He further charges that : 

** These people usually deny their real sentiments when closely 
pressed in argument." p. 4. 

It is not necessary for me to refute this old and 
oft repeated slander, when every sensible and well 
informed person knows it to be false, for how could 
this self-appointed judge of hearts know the " real 
sentiments " of these people, in contrast with their 
publicly taught sentiments ? This charge of duplic- 
ity is made before he gets out of the preface, and 
is enough to brand with suspicion everything that 
follows. For the presumption is that he judges by 
himself, for " out of the abundance of the heart the 
mouth speaketh." 

2: On page 40 he says : 

*' I am confident that the Campbellites are now using the name 
C7irisiia?i as Mr. Campbell once did the name Baptist, as a pass- 
port to favor or popularitj^ It appears that the greatest objection 
to the name Ckristia?i with Mr. Campbell, arose from the fact 
that it had been appropriated .by Mr. Stone to his society before 
Mr. Campbell came to the stage as a reformer. And now if the 
name chosen by Mr. Stone is given to Campbell's reformation, 
then a part of the honor of this reformation will be given to 
Stone." 

He then quotes in proof. Mill. Harb. N. S., vol. 

17 



l8 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

ill, p. 338. But his witness condemns him. For 
it shows that instead of selecting a name for the 
-people of the societies^ he was selecting a name for 
his -periodical^ and Tiesitated between the names 
" The Christian," ''Baptist Christian," and ''Chris- 
tian Baptist." He chose the latter, but when he 
found the people began to be called " Christian 
Baptists," he changed the title of his periodical. 

3. He says, p. 45 : 

*' They tamely take the bare statement of Mr. Campbell as satis- 
factory proof that they are right on this point in the reformation." 

The point was the setting up of the kingdom. 
But they take the Scriptures and not the bare word 
of any man. I will develop that subject under the 
proper head. And if Mr. Campbell should leave the 
sunlight of the gospel age, and plunge into the mists 
of the twilight period, where the Baptists claim to 
find the kingdom set up, we shall not follow him 
there. 

4. Again, p. 70 he says : 

** But Mr. Campbell, the mighty reformer {or rather deformer) 
of the nineteenth century, tells us that " there [at Jerusalem on 
the day of Pentecost] the gos^pel was first preached I ' But he 
does not favor us with the proof of this bald-faced assertion. His 
word seems to be more current with the current reforination than 
the testimony of Jesus Christ." 

That this spiteful thrust is a "bald-faced asser- 
tion," will appear when I shall show from the " tes- 
timony of Jesus " and the apostles when the gospel 
of a crucified and risen Savior was first proclaimed 
to the world, " for the obedience of the faith." 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 1 9 

5. On p. 89, he quotes from Mr. Campbell Chr. 
Bap. p. 9 : 

**The present popular exhibition of the Christian religion is a 
compound of Judaism, heathen philosophy and Christianity." 

On the above sentence Mr. Ray says : 

"Mr. Campbell viewed Christianity ^.'s> compounded with Juda- 
ism, and heathen philosoph}'." 

Now a glance at the sentence quoted shows that 
Mr. Campbell did not say Christimiity was a 
compound, etc., but '^ the present -pofular exhibi- 
tion'' of it. 

6. He says, p. 104 : 

" I have shown that Mr. Campbell only adopted the name, Bap- 
tist from expediency ^ as a passport to favor I '* 

This I have exposed in No. 2. Besides, his own 
witness on the next page testifies against him. He 
says Mr. Campbell declined taking charge of Bap- 
tist churches in New York and Philadelphia, '' on 
the ground that he did not think they would submit 
to the government of Jesus Christ, or the primitive 
order of things." 

7. He quotes, p. no, from Mill. Harb., N. S., 
vol. i, p. 149 : 

^* In no instance has a majority of any of our churches ever cast 
out a minority of Baptists for any difference of opinion ; but how 
often their majorities have cast out our minorities during the 
last ten years, it would pain me to record." 

Mark, this casting out of minorities, was not for 
immorality ^ but difference of oi>inion . They would 
not follow Baptist opinions, but insisted upon fol- 
lowing the Holy Scriptures as their only authorita- 
tive guide, and hence were '' cast out." From the 



20 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

history of these proceedings, the Text Book renders 
its judgment thus : 

** These quotations show that the Campbellites remained among 
the Baptists until they were ^ forced ' or ^ cast out.' They really 
date the beginning of their reformation in doctrine back as far as 
1809, though they had no organization until they were cast out 
from among the Baptists in 1827. I am confident that they only 
came in among us to gain respectability and strength." 

What a perversion ! They cajiie in among us! 
and that too for a sinister purpose. The history of 
those times, shows that instead of coming in^ it was 
a large class of the more intelligent, and better 
informed, and conscientious Baptists, coming out 
from the mists of human teachings under a human 
name, into the full light of the gospel. 

8. The Text Book, p. 126, charges upon Mr. 
Campbell, that he " avows that he started from 
nothing to ' make a new sect' " And adds : "If 
nothing \N?iS the foundation, then it was a work of 
creation." Now turn to page 124 and see what Mr. 
C. is talking about. He quotes Mr. Campbell in 
C. and R. Debate, p. 473 : 

^'Here is the Presbyterian Church, with its eighty ministers, 
its eight thousand and less members, after the Labors of more than 
half a century. In one third of that time the cause we plead, . 

. . by the force of this simple story of God's Messiah, and his 
love depicted in this mighty Pentecostian Gospel, and under the 
star of Jacob — led, guided, aided and blessed — from nothing, hav- 
ing in less than twenty years, outnumbered this old, learned, and 
well disciplined host, some five to one." 

Any one can see that the ''nothing" does not 
refer to \h^ foundation, but to the number of mem- 
bers coming out of the mists of sectarianism and 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 21 

building upon the one foundation of the gospel, 
here in America, and in the nineteenth century. 
But this perversion of the language may be neces- 
sary to sustain an abortive effort to make it appear 
that the churches of Christ have made a new foun- 
dation. If this will pass current as Baptist usage, 
it will not be endorsed as Christian usage. 

9. In sneering at the apostolic teaching of being 
baptized into Christ, he says, p. 137 : 

" But this new fold of the nineteenth century, the reformed 
fold proposes to take goats and put them into the fold in order to 
make sheep of them." 

This blasphemy comes with a bad grace from one 
who baptizes into a Baptist church, instead of bap- 
tizing into Christ, and who claims to have them 
saved out of Christ, anci out of his kingdom, for 
he says: "The kingdom of Jesus is the fold for 
the sheep." p. 137. Then it follows that, if they 
baptize them into the fold, or church, or kingdom, 
and have them saved before baptism, they have 
them saved out of the kingdom, which locates 
salvation outside the kingdom. Therefore, if the 
Baptist Church is the "kingdom of Jesus," salva- 
tion is outside the Baptist Church, and it will be 
safe to " come out of her," or stay out of her. 

10. He says, p. 147 : 

** The Bethany Reformer contradicts the angel by denying the 
right of the unbaptized to pray at all! " 

In proof he quotes from Christianity Restored, 
p. 247: 

^* As well, as reasonably might you pray for loaves from heaven, 



22 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

or manna, because Israel eat it in the desert, as to pray for par- 
don, while you refuse the remission of your sins by immersion." 

He then exclaims triumphantly, in capitals : 

"Hear it: As well, as reasonably might you pray for 
loaves from heaven, as to pray for pardon before immer- 
SION ! " 

You can see the quotation from Mr. Campbell 
don't say that, but says "pray for pardon, while 
you 7'cfitse^'''' etc. Any one can see that the volun- 
tary overflowing of the heart of the contrite sinner, 
in prayer, is a very different thing from stubbornly 
refusingio obey Christ, and yet praying for pardon 
in disobedience. 

But the Text Book does injustice to Mr. Camp- 
bell in the above quotation. I will give the quota- 
tion in its connection : 

** He has commanded immersion for the remission of sins; 
and think you that he will change his institution because of your 
stubborn or intractable disposition? As well as reasonably might 
you pray for loaves from heaven or manna, because Israel eat it 
in the desert, as to pray for pardon while you refuse the remis- 
sion of your sins by immersion." 

This does not deny the " right of the unbaptized 
to pray at all." But the authority to pray/i^r 
-pardon while refusing obedience. 

The Text Book also misrepresents Paul on the 
same page, thus : 

** There is no duty more clearly and forcibly set forth in the 
Bible than that all men every wJiere ought to pray to God." 

There he charges the Bible with teaching what it 
nowhere teaches. And, I think, a doctrine that 
requires the manufacture of Scripture to sustain 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 23 

it may well be questioned. Paul, in speaking of 
the worship in the churches, says : 

** I will, therefore, that men [the men] praj everywhere, lift- 
ing up holy hands, without wrath or doubting." i Tim. ii : 8. 

Notice, he does not say " all men ^^' but men in 
the church w^ho can lift u-p holy hands. 

He concludes, by saying, p. 148 : 

" Then it is a capital item in the reformation to restrain the 
sinner from prayer." 

A charge as void of truth as anything ever 
uttered by unregenerate lips. 

II. A proposition at the head of a section, p. 
155, reads thus : 

** Campbellite repentance begins and ends in immer- 
sion." 

Same page : 

*^ I will close this chapter by showing that Campbellite repent- 
ance consists alone in being immersed, or it begins and ends in 
immersion." 

The evidence, that the author of the Text Book 
knew the above was false when he wrote it, will 
be found on p. 159, where he quotes from Mill. 
Harb. N. S. v. 5, p. 301, in the following style: 

" But here is the Campbellite order from the author of the 
system himself. He says : * The items of redemption ' are, * on 
man's part: ist. Faith in the person, office, and character of 
Christ, with special reference to his death as a sin offering; 2d. 
Repentance; 3d. Baptism. Then are we in covenant with God 
through the Mediator.' The Campbellites seem more united 
upon this order in the reformation than upon any other item. 
They all proclaim faitJi and repentance in perfect harmony in 
regard to this order, though they may be as wide as the poles 
apart on other points." 

A man who perpetrates a great many falsehoods 



24 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 



1 



ought to have a good memory to avoid being 
caught, unless he be Hke the man we read of who 
never could be caught in a lie, because he was out 
of one and into another so fast they could not over- 
take him. ^ 

12. We can now appreciate the true inwardness 
of the following, p. 361 : 

** Campbellites teach that immersion alone is the act of turn- 
ing to God." 

But Mr. Campbell does not say ''the act," but 
" that act," referring to an overt act of i'dA\kv follow- 
ing faith and repentance ^ and called turning to 
God, and called the constumnating act, as quoted 
by Text Book, p. 156. And yet he tries to make 
the impression that immersion is the only thing 
required. See also p. 211, Text Book. 

13. A proposition in capitals, p. 158, reads : 
**Mr. Campbell has inverted the order of repentance 

AND FAITH." 

This is a false charge. But I shall show the 
Scriptural order of faith and repentance under the 
head of Turning to God, and that the Baptists have 
inverted the order. 

14. He says, p. 163 : 

** But Campbellites act on a faith without love, therefore, theirs 
is a dead faith.'''' 

He might just as well have said any other false 
and silly thing, if he could have thought of it. But 
I presume no sane person will believe it. 

15. Proposition at the head of section, p. 167, 
reads : 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 25 

** Campbellite faith is produced without divine assist- 
ance." 

And, p. 168, says : 

'' Thus Mr. Campbell sports at the idea of any moral improve- 
ment by the exercise of faith." 

To prove these charges, he says, p. 169: 

** Again Mr. Campbell says: * You talk of a faith -wi-oiight i7i 
the heart. You might as well talk of 'light, or seeing wrought 
in the eye, of sound or hearing Avrought in the ear, of taste 
wrought in the tongue, or of feeling wrought in the hand. It is 
the quintessence of mj^sticism. ' This is a fair exposition of 
Campbellite faith ; it is produced independent of the aid of 
th3 Holy Spirit!" 

This misrepresents Mr. Campbell. Here is what 
Mr. C. says in its connection, Mill. Harb. v. 2, 

P- 399- 

'' But observe that the descent of the Holy Spirit was to help 
them to prove that what they spake was true. In this way per- 
sons can be helped to believe, and this is the only way in which 
one can help another to believe. For this help v,e contend. 
This was the use of the miracles, the tongues, the gifts of heal- 
ing, the powers, etc., which attended the preaching of the apos- 
tles. But you speak of an internal operation upon the mind to 
produce faith. You talk of a faith vjr ought i7i the heart. You 
might as well talk of light or seeing Avrought in the eye, of 
sound or hearing v/rought in the ear, of taste wrought in the 
tongue, or of feeling wrought in the hand. It is the quintes- 
sence of mysticism. To help one to see, we increase the light; 
to help one to hear, we speak loud. But creating of eyes and 
ears is a different work." 

From this you see that the two charges at the 

head of this number are baseless fabrications. 

16. Proposition, p. 170: 
*' Campbellite faith is destitute of the love of god, 

AND does not purify THE HEART." 

This is but No. 14 revamped, 



26 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

When a man is so full of misrepresentations 
that they are constantly oozing out at the fingers, 
my confidence in his veracity sinks to zero. 

Under the above proposition, he quotes from 
Campbell on Baptism, p. 285 .* 

*'For, in truth, baptism is but the actual and symbolic profes- 
sion of faith. It is its legitimate embodiment and consumma- 
tion." 

On this Mr. Ray comments thus : 

*'To talk of baptism being the consummation of faith is, to 
my mind, to talk nonsense." 

Well, to the Greeks, the preaching of Christ 
crucified, was foolishness. And the forty-seventh 
proposition of Euclid, was called the '' Pons 
Assinorum " to those v/ho could not understand it. 

17. The Text Book, p. 182, makes this ridicu- 
lous charge : 

*'But the Campbellite position affirms that the unreconciled 
sinner must be immersed in order to reconcile him to God! 
Yes, Mr. Campbell places reconciliation after immersion ! The 
sinner hates God in his unreconciled state ; and the Campbellites 
would immerse this hater of God, in order to reconcile him to, or 
make him love God!" 

The three unblushing falsehoods in this para- 
graph, made out of whole cloth, may possibly be 
believed by some of the ignorant persons for 
whom the Text Book is made, but to sensible peo- 
ple, it proclaims the infamy of untruth written upon 
its brow, and, like the leper, cries unclean ! un- 
clean ! Christians teach that we are "reconciled 
to God by the death of his Son." The faith of the 
gospel changes his heart (affections) from the love 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 2^ 

of sin, to the love of God, and the sinner thus 
reconciled in heart is not a hater of God, but loves 
God, and is reconciled to the law of Christ ; and^ 
as an evidence of his reconciliation, he yields obe- 
dience to the gospel requirements. 

i8. The Text Book puts this proposition at the 
head of a section, p. 193 : 

'' Mr. Campbell teaches that in immersion the water 
literally washes away sin, and cleanses the conscience 
from its guilt." 

He then tells us that Mr., Campbell says, Mill. 
Harb., ex. no. i, p. 40: 

*^ If blood can ^vJiitcjt or cleanse garments, certainly water can 
"ojash azvay sins. There is, then, a transferring of the efficacy 
of blood to water, and a transferring of the efficacy of water 
to blood. This is a plain solution of the whole matter. 
God has transferred, in some way, the whitening efficacy, or 
cleansing power of water to blood, and the absolving or pardon- 
ing power of blood to water. This is done vipon the same princi- 
ple as that of Accounting faith for righteousness. What a gracious 
institution I God has opened a fountain for sin — for moral pol- 
lution. He has given it an extension far and wide as sin has 
spread — far and wide as water flows. Wherever water, faith and 
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are, there will be 
found the efficacy of the blood of Jesus. Yes, as God first gave 
the efficacy of water to blood, he has now given the efficacy of 
blood to water. This, as was said, is figurative ; but it is not a 
figure which misleads, forths meaning is given without a figure, 
viz. : immersion for the remission of sins. And to him that made 
the washing of clay from tha eyes, the washing away of blind- 
ness, it is competent to make the immersion of the body in water 
efficacious to the washing aAvay of sin from the cojiscie?ice. * * 
* Thus immersion, says Feter, saves us not by cleansing the body 
from its filth, but the the conscience from its guilt. Yes, immer- 
sion saves us by burying us with Christ, raising us with him ; and 
so our consciences are purged frorn dead works to serv^e the living 



28 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

God. * * * The application of water — the cleansing elements — 
to the body is made in this gracious institution to reach the con- 
science, as did the blood of sprinkling under the law." 

The Text Book then says : 

*' I have inserted this long quotation from Mr. Campbell that 
the reader may have the full benefit of his views on the washing 
away of sins by water, lie here affims that God has given the 
*• absolving or pardoning ^oivcr of blood to water;'' that immer- 
$io7i is literally 'for the remission of sins;'' that Christ makes the 
immersion of' the body in ivater efficacious to the washi?ig atvay 
of siji from the consciences^ a fid that immersion cleanses ''the 
conscience from its guilt,'' " 

How kind ! to give the reader the bencjit of 
that long quotation ! scarcely surpassed by Judas 
betraying his Master with a kiss ! In giving this 
"long quotation," he takes pains to cut off its 
head, to secure the ''benefit" of distorting its 
mutilated body. The paragraph from which he 
makes this long quotation, commences thus: 

^^To wash away sins is a figurative expression." 

And yet the Text Book suppressing that sent- 
ence boldly declares that Mr. Campbell teaches 
that the water literally washes away sin. Besides 
that, the quotation itself refers to that heading say- 
ing : " This^ as was said^ was figurative y 

In this long italicized sentence above, he says 
Mr. Campbell affirms four distinct predicates. 
Now, any school boy that understands the meaning 
of -predicate in grammar can take his pencil and 
enclose in brackets the language of each of the 
predicates in the italicized sentence, charged to 
have been affirmed by Mr. Campbell, and then 
read their connection, and find that Mr. Campbell 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 29 

does not a ffi7^ni one of them. Indeed, the "long 
quotation" commences with a subjunctive: If 
blood can vjhiten^ etc., then these other things can 
be done figuratively. But he had just said : " An 
efficac}^ is ascribed to water which it does not pos- 
sess ; and, as certainly, an efficacy is ascribed to 
blood which it does not possess," referring to wash- 
ing their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, 
Rev. vii : 14, and does not affirm that blood can 
whiten literally. '' The application of water," etc., 
is concerning the heart sprinkled ?ccidL body washed, 
Heb. x: 22, quoted. 

The Text Book refers to this again, p. 200, and 
says : 

'' No one who is not grossly superstitious can believe that the 
water literally washes away sins by coming in contact with the 
naked spirit." 

But as no one believes that except the mythical 
Campbellites of Mr. Ray's creation, we will turn 
them over to their '' daddy." 

19. The Text Book charges, p. 361, that: 

**Campbellites teach that immersion alone is the act of turning 
to God. ' 

And, p. 211, he works it out in this fashion. 
After quoting in refei*ence to '' that act^''^ shown in 
No. 12, he says : 

'^ Imme^'sion^ then, is the whole of Campbellite conversion!"' 
And again : 

" Immersion aloxe is the conversion of the so-called refor- 
mation." 

And in proof he tells us that Mr. Campbell says : 

''It is not our faith in Gods promise of remission, but our 



30 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

g'oijig dovon into the water that obtains the remission of sins. ' 
Christianity Rest., p. 238. 

On this quotation the Text Book comments 
thus : 

'^ Then, in the Campbellite plan, it is not through faith, hut 
goi7ig dozvii i7ito the water., that obtams the remission of sins ! 

This view makes immersion the sun of the whole Campbellite 
system, around which all things else in religion revolve as mere 

satellites." 

But the Text Book is responsible for " This 
View^^^ that he charges with such derangement. 

Here is what Mr.- Campbell says in the para- 
graph from which the above quotation is made : 

*' It was not Abel's faith in his head or heart, but Abel's faith 
at the altar Avhich obtained such reputation. It was not Enoch's 
faith in principle, but Enoch's faith in his walk with God, 
which translated him to heaven. It was not Noah's faith in 
God's promise and threatening, but his faith exhibited in build- 
ing an ark, which saved himself and family from the deluge, 
and made him an heir of a new world, an heir of righteous- 
ness. It was not Abraham's faith in God's call, but his go- 
i7ig out in obedience to that call that first distinguished him as a 
pilgrim, and began his reputation. It was not faith in God's 
promise that Jericho should fall, but that faith carried out in 
blowing of' rams'' kor?is, which laid its walls in ruins. It is not 
our faith in God's promise of remission, but our goifzg down 
into the water that obtains the remission of sins. But any 
one may see why faith has so much praise, and is of so much 
value. Because, without it, Abel would not have offered more 
sacrifices than Cain; Enoch would not have walked with God; 
Noah would not have built an ark; Abraham would not have 
left Ur of the Chaldees, nor offerred up his son upon the altar. 
Without it, Israel would not have passed through the wilderness, 
nor crossed the Jordan ; and without it, none receive the remis- 
sion of their sins in immersion. And, again, we would remind 
the reader, that when he talks of being saved by faith, he should 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 31 

bear in mind that grace is not lost sight of, nor blood, nor water, 
nor reformation, discarded." Chris. Rest. p. 238. 

And yet, with that before his eyes, the author of 
the Text Book persists in saying " it is not through 
faith'' But the luxury of light, to moles and bats, 
would perhaps not be appreciated. 

20. The proposition in capitals, p. 249, reads: 
**Mr. Campbell admits that hls view of baptism ixtro- 

duced infant baptism." 

If the reader of the Text Book should whistle 
every time he comes to a '' whopper," I am afraid 
he w^ould need a green persimmon to keep his 
mouth always ready. In proof of his false allega- 
tion, he quotes Mr. Campbell, debate with Mc- 
Calla, p. 136 : 

'' It was this view of baptism misajipUed that originated infant 
baptism. The first errorists on this subject argued that if bap- 
tism was so necessary for the reinission of sins, it should be 
administered to infants, whom thej represented as in great need 
of it on account of their original sin." 

Thus his own witness condemns him. Instead 
'-'- his view of baptism it was this view of baptism 
misaffliedy Still he brow beats his witness, and 
reaffirms on the next page that : 

** Mr. Campbell here has confessed the historic fact that his 
view of the importance of baptism in order to the remission of 
sins orighiated iiifant baptism. 

21. Proposition in capitals, p. 258, reads : 

" Mr. Campbell teaches that in regeneration there is 
NO moral improvement or change of the affections." 

Perhaps such a heaven-daring perversion as 
that might be left to carry its own rebuke upon 
its face. But here is the deceptive trick by which 



3^ TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

he claims to prove his assertion. He quotes, Chr. 
Bap., p. 131: _ 

" No new faculties are created in tlie human mind, nor are any 
of the old ones annihilated; no new passions nor affections are 
communicated. * * * j^ appears, then, that the faculties of 
the human spirit, and the affet:tions of the human mind are 
affected no more by regeneration than the height of the human 
stature, the corpulency of the human body, or the color of the 
human skin are affected by it." 

I will cross-examine this witness, by giving the 
full quotation with the dissevered links put in, and 
let witness tell the whole truth : 

^* The means are always suited to the end. In the accomplish- 
ment of moral renovation of regeneration of the human mind, 
the same fitness in the means employed, is exhibited in every 
respect. No new faculties are created in the human mind, nor 
are any old ones annihilated ; no new passions nor affections are 
communicated. He that possessed a quick perception, a steady 
and retentive inemory, a strong, discriminating judgment, a vig- 
orous and vivid imagination before he was regenerated, possesses 
the same without any change, after he has been renewed in the 
spirit of his mind. * * * 'pj^^ renovation of the human 
•mind, or the purification of the human heart, is not then 
effected by a new creation of faculties or affections which 
w^ould be the same as creating a new soul. The soul or spirit 
of Saul of Tarsus, Avas the soul of Paul the apostle. The spirit 
of Saul was not destroj^ed and a new spirit infused into Paul ; 
for then the spirit of Saul was annihilated and not saved. It 
appears then that the faculties of the human spirit and the affec- 
tions of the human mind are affected no more by regeneration 
than the height of the human stature, the corpulency of the 
human body, or the color of the human skin are affected by it." 
Christian Baptist, p. 131. 

He reiterates on nex^ P^g^ that: "The Camp- 
bellite regeneration produces no moral change," 
notwithstanding Mr. Campbell distinctly affirms 



li^ALSE ACCUSATIONS. 33 

that it is, "In the accompHshment of a moral 
renovation." 

22. He charges, p. 306, that: 

** Mr. Campbell very gravely informs us that ^ the Christian 
System,' (a thing made by himself,) ' ordains that certain per- 
sons shall judge and rule.' " 

Now he certainly knows that Mr. Campbell uses 
the term Christmn System here and in similar 
places, to designate the System of Christianitv in 
the New Testament, and not his treatise on the 
Christian System. To ascribe the authorship of 
the Christian Scriptures to Mr. Campbell, is giving 
him more credit than he ever claimed, and to call 
New Testament Christianity '^ ^ ^/^?V?^' made by " 
Mr. C. is not very reverent. But the purpose is 
evidently to charge Mr. C. with trying to enjoin 
upon the churches his own rules, instead of the 
requirements of the New Testament. 

23. Proposition in capitals, p. 319, reads: 
"The Campbellites have a written creed." 

If he means the creed written in the New Testa- 
ment, it is true of Christians. But if he means a 
human creed, it is false. But to try to make it 
stick, he savs : 

" When Mr. Campbell's little Brush Run Society sought 
admission into the Redstone Association they sent " a written 
declaration of their belief," drawn up by Mr. Campbell as a 
proof of their orthodoxy; and they were received into that 
association on that ^vritte7i creed.'''' 

But he seems to forget that when, "The congre- 
gations formed by the Campbells, united with the 
Redstone Baptist Association" in 1813, Rel. Enc, 



34 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

p. 462, it was while Mr. Campbell was a Baptist, 
and only shows that Baptists require "written 
creeds,'^'' 

24. He charges on Mr. C, p. 320, that: 

*' He wrote a creed of the belief of the ' Disciples ' in an arti- 
cle which he prepared for insertion in the Encyclopedia of 
Religious Knowledge." 

Yet at the conclusion of that outline of faith and 
practice, Mr. Campbell adds : 

** But no society among them would agree to make the preced- 
ing items either a confession of faith or a standard of practice." 

Yet Mr. Ray calls it a creed. Perhaps he don't 
know any better. 

25. Again, p. 321. He says: 

** But Mr. Campbell has, in addition to this former creed^ 
written for general use, a creed which he calls, by way of distinc- 
tion, * the Christian System.' And all Campbellites are as 
nearly agreed on the plan of union therein contained as the 
most devout admirers of the sects for their disciplines and con- 
fessions of faith." 

There is probably not one in a hundred of the 
members of the Christian congregations that has 
ever read or even seen Mr. Campbell's treatise on 
the Christian System, which Mr. Ray calls the 
creed. And the reason they are " agreed on the 
plan of union therein contained," is that they get 
that plan from the New Testament, where Mr. 
Campbell got it. We all have the same source 
of information he had, if we will only read for 
ourselves. But the boy ten years old that does not 
know the difference between an individual treatise 
on Christianity and a system of formulated doc- 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 35 

trines adopted by a church or congregation as a 
creeds might show prudence in not exposing his 
ignorance. But even the erudite author of the 
Text Book might have saved his credit by reading 
the conclusion of Preface to the Christian System, 
p. 12, as follows : 

** We speak for ourselves only; and while we are always will- 
ing to give a declaration of our faith and knowledge of the 
Christian System, we firmly protest against dogmatically pro- 
pounding our own views, or those of any fallible mortal, as a 
condition or foundation of church union and co-operation. 
While then, wx would, if we could, either with the tongue or 
the pen, proclaim all that we believe, and all that we know, to 
the ends of the earth, zve take the Bible, the whole Bible^ and 
7iothi7ig but the Bible^ as the foiuidation of all Ch7'istia7t U7zio7i 
a7zd C07n7nu7it072. Those who do not like this will please show 
us a more excellent way. 

[Signed] A. Campbell. 
Bethany, Va., June 13, 1839." 

26. He charges, p. 363, that: 

^* Campbellites teach that Satan with his accomplices is now 
confined in the chains of hell, and that the w*icked are not now 
instigated by the devil." 

And, p. 295, I find this proposition heading a 

section : 

*<Mr. Campbell represents the devil as now confined 
in the chains . of hell." 

And at head of section, p. 301 : 

" Mr. Campbell teaches that men are not now actuated 
by the devil." 

Whether Mr. Campbell or the Campbellites thus 

teach or not, I think the appearance of the Text 

Book in the world is sufficient evidence of Satanic 

influence, but whether by immediate spiritual influ- 



36 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

ence, or through hope of pecuniary gain, is not so 
patent. 

Mr. Ray sa3^s, p. 299 : 

*^Now, if Satan is chained, as Mr. Campbell declares, how 
could he take away the word that is sown in the hearts of men? 
Mr. Campbell not only denies the existence of Satan in this 
world, but he represents his ^ accomplices,' the inferior devils, 
as confined with their prince in the chains of darkness!" 

That question, how the devil can take away the 
word, is of easy answer. He can employ some 
one to write a " Text Book on Campbellism." 

To bolster up his charge, he rays, ''Hear Mr. 
Campbell," and quotes, Mill.Harb., v. 5, p. 272: 

*' The Scripture is so far from representing Satan as the god 
and governor of the air^ that it constantly represents him in a 
state of co7tfinemeni for his apostacy and rebellion against God, 
reserved in chains under darJi7iess against the judgnie?it of the 
great day. So that instead of expatiating in the boundless 
fields of air, and shedding his Avoes upon miserable mortals, he 
and his accomplices are described by the Apostle Peter as pre- 
cipitated into the Tartarian regions, bound in adamantine 
fetters, and to continue there in custody till the final judgment." 

Mr. Ra}^ gloating over this quotation, says : 

*'The italics are Mr. Campbell's. This great reformer of the 
nineteenth century, who was born and educated a Presbyterian 
in Scotland, and planted his mighty reformation in America, 
boldly affirms that the Scripture?^ constantly represent Satan as 
in a ^tate of confi^iement^ as hawi7ig been precipitated into the 
Tartariaji regio7iSy bound in adamantine fetters^ a7id reserved i7t 
chains under darkness^ to re77iain U7itil the fi7ial judg77ient of the 
great day ! This is the announcement of the refonned theory 
of demonology, fixed up to suit the Campbellite dogma on the 
operation of the Holy Spirit." 

There now ! He has tried to rub it in by re- 
peating in CAPITALS with an exclamation ! Surely 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 37 

it ought to stick ! and perhaps furnish a delicious 
feast to some depraved appetite. But, ''there's 
many a shp between the cup and the Hp." And, 
at the risk of dashing this dextrously prepared cup 
from some waiting lip and craving appetite, I must 
be permitted to say, kind reader, that Mr. Camp- 
bell did not affirm what Mr. Ray charges on him ! 
The language, which Mr. Ray puts into the mouth 
of Mr. Campbell, in the above quotation from the 
Harbinger, is not Air, Cam^beir s language^ as 
any one can see for himself. It is an extract from 
a7iother author^ and introduced in the Harbinger, 
by Mr. Campbell in this way : 

^* While we have the same author before us, we shall treat the 
reader to another extract on the person denominated The Prince 
OF The Power of The Air." 

Following the extract, in a foot note, Mr. Camp- 
bell disavows the sentiments of the author^ in the 
following language: 

" Satan, however, the head of all opposition, the hierarch of 
all rebellion, the high priest of all idolatry, may be regarded as 
the original cause of all the paganism on earth, and although 
contradistinguished from Jupiter, the Prhice of the Pozver of 
the Air^ was nevertheless the occasion of all the homage paid bv 
the Gentiles to this fantastic divinity, the offspring of a deluded 
imagination." "Editor." 

That Mr. Ray saw this note of the editor is evi- 
dent, for he quotes from it the phrase ''original 
cause " thus.: 

" Mr. Campbell admits that Satan was the ' original cause ' of 
evil." 

And yet^ with this disclaimer before his eyes. 



38 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

Mr. Ray charges Mr. Campbell with affirming 
sentiments which are here distinctly disavozved, 

Mr. Ray makes a puerile attempt to show a 
^^ contradiction between Paul and Mr. Campbell." 
He says, p. 302 : 

" Mr. Campbell affirms that the heathens 7icver %vorshi;p the 
devil; but Paul declares thai the GejitilQs, or heathens^ sacrifice to 
devils^ 

What a brilliant Ray of darkness shines out 
there ! Are we to infer that Mr. Ray does not 
know the difference between '' the devil ^.'^ and 
demo7is ('' devils,") as used by Paul? The ex- 
pressions, '' worship the devil" and ''sacrifice to 
demons," are as wide apart as the poles. The 
devil means Satan, and always in the singular 
number. Demons (devils) were understood to be 
departed spirits of wicked men. To these the 
Gentiles sacrificed. But if Mr. Ray knows where 
the Scriptures represent them as worshiping the 
devil he failed to produce the passage. 

That the reader may know what Mr. Campbell 
did teach on the subject of Satanic influence, I 
will introduce a somewhat lengthy extract from 
an "Address on Demonology," by A. Campbell, 
1841. 

"In the Christian Scriptures, we meet with the term deino7i^ in 
one fonn or other, seventj-five times, and in such circumstances 
as with but one or two exceptions, constrain us to regard it as the 
representative of a wicked and unclean spirit. So general is this 
fact that Beelzebub is dignified " the prince of the demons " — un- 
fortunately rendered devils. This association of the idea of wick- 
edness with the word daimon may have induced our translators 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 39 

to give us so man J devih in their authorized version. But this 
misapprehension is now universally admitted and regretted ; for, 
while the Pible teaches many demons, it nowhere intimates a 
plurality of devils or Satans. There is but one devil or Satan in 
the universe, whose legions of angels and demons give him a 
sort of omnipotence, by acting out his will in all their inter- 
course with mortals. This evil spirit, whose official titles are 
the serpent, the devil and Satan, is always found in the singular 
number in both the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures ; while demon 
is found in both numbers, indicating sometimes one and some- 
times a legion. ^"^ * * 

But we may say in general and in truthful terms, that the 
heralds of salvation, fi'om the day of their first mission to the 
end of their evangelical labors, cast out demons, restrained 
Satanic influence, and made inroads upon the power and empire 
of Beelzebub, the prince of the demons. The mighty chieftain 
of this holy war had a personal rencounter with the malignant 
chief of all unclean spirits, angelic and human, and so defeated 
his counsels and repelled his assaults, divesting him of much of 
his sway, and thus gave an earnest of his ultimate triumph over 
all the powers of darkness. ^^ ^ ^ 

As to the abodes of the demons, we are taught in the Bible 
what the most ancient dogmatists have said concerning their 
residence in the air. I say we are taught that they dwell^rc tem- 
pore in the etherial regions. Satan, their prince, is called " the 
prince of the power of the air." The great apostle to the Gen- 
tiles taught believers to wrestle against ''wicked spirits that 
reside in the air;" "for,' says he, " you fight not against 
flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against 
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wicked- 
ness in high places " — properly rendered " against Avi eked spirits 
in the regions of the air." * * * 

Evident it is, then, from such testimonies, facts and allusrons, 
that the atmosphere, or rather the regions above it, the ethereal 
or empyreal, and not heaven, nor earth, nor hell, is the proper 
residence of the ghosts of wicked men. They have repeatedly 
declared their perfect punishment or torment as yet future, to 
be after the coming of the Lord, when he shall send the devil 
and his emissaries into an eternal fire, * * ^ 



40 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

One thing is abvindantly evident, that although the number of 
such spirits is vast and overwhehning, and their hatred to the 
living, intense and enduring, the man of God, the true Christian 
has a guardian angel, or a host of sentinels around him that never 
sleep; and, therefore, against him the fie rv darts of Satan are 
employed in vain. ^ -J^- * 

This view of demonologj inducts us into more grand and 
sublime views of the magnitude, variety and extent of the 
world of spirits — of our relation to them — and of our present 
liability to impressions, suggestions, and influences from classes 
of agents wholly invisible and inappreciable by any of those 
senses which connect us with external and sensible existence. 
That we are thus susceptible it were foolish and infidel to 
deny. 

In all these intellectual assemblages, spread over the area of 
universal being, there are but two distinct and essentially diverse 
confederations — one under the rightful sovereignty of Messiah, 
the Lord of all, the other under the usurped dominion of that 
spirit who has spread over our planet all the anarchy and mis- 
rule, all the darkness and gloom, all the sorrow and death, which 
have embittered life, and made countless millions groan in 
spirit, and sigh for a discharge from a conflict between good 
and evil, pleasure and pain, so unequal and oppressive. 

This rebel angel, of such inysterious character, is always 
found in the singular number, as the Sata?i^ the Devil^ and the 
Aj)ollyo7i of our race. With him are confederate all the dis- 
loyal spirits that have conspired against heaven's own w^ill in 
adoration of their own. In reference to this usurper and his 
angelic allies with the Lord's annointed, we are obliged to 
consider those unhappy spirits, who, during their incarnation, 
took sides against him in his mad rebellion against the Eternal 
King. The number of angels that took part with him in his 
origtnal conspiracy remains amongst the secrets of eternity, 
and will not be divulged till the devil and his angels, for whom 
Tophet was of old prepared, shall be separated from the social 
systems of the universe, and publicly sentenced to the bottoin- 
less gulf of irremediable ruin. "- -^^ -5^ These spirits, shown to 
be the demons of antiquity, sacred and profane, are now a com- 
ponent part Qf the empire of Satan, and as much \ander hi§ 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 4I 

control as the conspirators that took part with him in his pri- 
meval defection and rebellion. ^ ^ ''^' How innumerable, then, 
the agents, domestic and angelic, on oatan's side! What hosts 
of fallen men and angels have conspired against the happiness 
of God's moral empire! No wonder that Satan is sometimes 
spoken of as omnipresent." Popular Lectures, pp.383, 396, 397, 
398, 400. 

The apparent malignity of this dark and deep 
laid scheme to slander the dead and the living, must 
be my excuse for introducing so long an ex;tract 
from Mr. Campbell's teaching, to allow him to 
speak for himself. I have read of hyenas digging 
up the bodies of the dead, and of inquisitorial per- 
secutors exhuming the bones of their martyred vic- 
tims, and wreaking post-mortem vengeance upon 
them, but the animus of the charges under review 
may possibly exhibit the spirit of persecution, with- 
out the legal physical power to execute it. Of this 
I leave the reader to draw his own conclusions. 

27. Mr. Ray says, p. 359 : 

" Campbellites acknowledge that thej belong to an organiza- 
tion torm.ed in the vear 1827, of excluded persons from among 
the Baptists." 

The bare statement of such an unmitigated false- 
hood as that, perhaps is sufficient to show its malig- 
nity. The wholesale withdrawal of co-operative 
fellowship, from churches and communities of Bap- 
tists, for diffe7^cnce of opinion, in following the 
Scriptures instead of Baptist usage, is here trumped 
up in such a shape as to leave the impression that 
they were cases of individual members excluded for 
immoral or unchristian conduct. 



42 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

28. Undej: the head of Glossary of the Bethany 
Dialect, p. 371, the Text Book gives the definition 
of purified from sins, thus : 

" PURIFIED FROM SINS. 

Immersion : Mr. Campbell declares that this expression is 
universally understood to refer to Christian immersion.'' Chris- 
tianity Rest., p. 222. 

Now we turn to his reference and see that this 
garbled phrase perverts the teaching of Mr. Camp- 
bell.* Here is what Mr. Campbell says : 

** After enumerating the additions to faith, necessary to 
secure our calling and election, of which courage is the first, and 
charity, or universal love, the last, the apostle says that he 
who has not these things is blind, shutting his eyes, and forget- 
ting that he was j^iirijied from his old siiis.'^ I need here say 
that this is, perhaps (and certainly, as far as I know), univers- 
ally understood to refer to Christian immersion. The ^ old sins ' 
or * former sins,' can, we presume, mean no other sins than 
those washed away in immersion. No person has yet attempted 
to show that these words can import anything else." 

Any one can see that "these words " or ''old 
sins " that Mr. Campbell was talking about, and 
" this expression " of Mr. Ray, are different things. 

29. In his Glossary, p. 371, he gives this original 
definition : 

*^BORN OF THE SPIRIT. 

Liimersion : This expression is also understood by reformers 
to mean immersion." 

This is not only ''made out of whole cloth," but he 
seems to have created the material out of which the 
cloth is made. Out of over half a million of follow- 
ers of Christ in the United States, taking the Chris- 
tian Scriptures as their only guide in faith and prac- 
tice and name, if there is one that understands 



FALSE ACCUSATIONS. 43 

" born of the Spirit " ''to mean immersion," I have 
never heard of it. Neither has the author of the 
Text Book ever heard it so taught. 

30. Mr. Ray says, p. 353 : 

** Mr. Campbell declares of the societies of the reformation 
that to them exclusively belongs all the present sal- 
vation. ' 

And, as a show of proof of this base slander, 
he quotes, Christianity Rest., p. 175, thus : 

** But, as these communities possess the oracles of God, are 
under the laws and institution of the King, and, therefore, enjoy 
the blessings of the present salvation, thej are, in the records of 
the kingdom, regarded as the only constitutional citizens of the 
kingdom of heaven ; and to them exclusively belongs all tJie 
prese?it salvation ^ 

The dexterity of this attempt to hoodwink the 
ignorant is truly refreshing ! In the above quota- 
tion, Mr. Campbell was speaking of '' the cofn- 
miinities collected and set in 07' derby the apostles ^ 
But Mr. Ray has the audacity to say : Mr. Camp- 
bell declares it of the societies of the Reformation! 

Here is Mr. Campbell's language : 

*^The communities collected and set in order by the apostles 
were called the congregations of Christy and all these taken 
together are sometimes called the kingdom of God. But as these 
communities possess the oracles of God, are under the laws and 
institutions of the King, and, therefore, enjoy the blessings of 
the present salvation, they are, in the records of the kingdom, 
regarded as the only constitutional citizens of the kingdom of 
heaven ; and to them exclusively belongs all the present salva- 
tion. Their King is now in heaven, but present with them by 
his Spirit in their hearts, and in all the institutions of his 
kingdom.'* 

I must here close this chapter. I have not used 



44 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

half my notes under the head oi false accusations^ 
but these must suffice as amply indicating the 
animvis pervading the Text Book, and like Saul of 
Tarsus breathing out threatening and slaughter. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE GOSPEL FIRST PREACHED ON PENTECOST. 

I now proceed, as promised, Chap. Ill : No. 4, to 
show from the testimony of Jesus and the apostles, 
when the gospel of a crucified and risen Savior was 
first proclaimed to the world " for the obedience oi 
the faith." 

Mr. Ray, p. 70, says that Mr. Campbell, with- 
out proof, taught that it was first preached on Pen- 
tecost, and calls it a '' bald-faced assertion," and 
adds : 

*^ His word seems^o' be more current with the current refor- 
mation than the testimony of Jesus Christ. ' 

By the gospel, we mean the full and complete 
gospel, the gospel by which we are saved, the 
gospel that offers remission of sins in the name of 
Jesus, and the cleansing from sin through the 
shed blood of Jesus, and not through blood of 
animals in the types. We mean the gospel that 
offers salvation to the Gentiles as well as Jews, 
and on the same terms. This is the gospel that we 

Gentiles are interested in. 



THE GOSPEL FIRST PREACHED. 45 

2. Luke, in recording this commission, puts 
"remission of sins" as the equivalent of "shall 
be saved " as given by Mark. 

Jesus said to his apostles : 

<'Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and 
to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and 
remissio'n of sins should be preached in his name among all 
nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And je are witnesses of these 
things. And, behold, I send the promise of my. Father upon 
you; but tarrj^ ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ve be endued 
with power from on high." Luke xxiv: 46-49. 

According to the commission as here recorded 
by Mark and Luke, salvation to the Gentiles, 
and remission of sins in the name of Jesus could 
not be preached by the apostles till they were 
endued with power from on high. 

3. But when will that power come? Jesus said 
to them : 

" But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is 
come upon you ; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in 
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter- 
most part of the earth." Acts i : 8. 

These apostles were witnesses of his resurrection, 
and were to offer salvation or remission in his name 
through his blood, but are here still restrained from 
commencing, and the next verse says : 

^' And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he 
was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." 

Now^ Jesus has gone into the heavens, and the 
apostles not yet authorized to commence preaching 
a risen Savior, and remission in his name. 

Throughout the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke 



46 -TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

and John, and the first chapter of Acts, we are 
nowhere told that the apostles had commenced 
preaching the gospel, or good news, of " remission 
of sins in his name, beginning at Jerusalem." An- 
terior to that we find it not. And if Mr. Ray 
and his people find their salvation at a period be- 
fore that time, they must have a salvation without 
remission of sins in the name of Jesus. For how to 
obtain remission in his name had not yet been 
taught, and the apostles are just waiting for the 
power from on high, the signal for the com- 
mencement. 

4. ^ 'Now when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all 
with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound 
from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the 
house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them 
cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And 
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with 
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts ii: 1-4. 

Now every restraint is removed, and every 
" until " is out of the way, and all the conditions 
have transpired. The celestial telegraph has 
brought the signal from heaven, the antitype of 
the bells upon the skirts of the high priests' gar- 
ments, announcing that our great High Priest has 
entered heaven itself, with his own blood, once 
for all, and that the great atonement has been 
made, and that remission in the name of Jesus may 
now be obtained, through the new institution, with- 
out the shedding of the blood of animals, and the 
offerings upon Jewish altars. Before this the 



THE GOSPEL FiSsT PREACHED. 47 

apostles dare not commence ; beyond this they can 
not wait without dereHction of duty. 

But faithful to their trust they commence, the 
eleven standing up to corroborate every word, while 
Peter, as spokesman, and speaking as the Spirit gave 
him utterance, appealed to the signs and wonders, 
the prophecies fulfilled, the miracles wrought, of 
which they were cognizant, and demonstrated the 
Messiahship of Jesus. He appeals to the witnesses 
standing with him for concurrent testimony that 
God had raised him from the dead. Rising still 
higher, he appeals to the manifestations of the 
Holy Spirit, ''which ye now see and hear,*' as 
evidence of his " being by the right hand of God 
exalted." Then having, with the celestial teles- 
cope drawn the rays of prophetic light from the 
far distant Hebrew prophets, and with the spec- 
troscope of testimon}^ woven them into a web, 
strong as the golden everlasting chain that binds 
the faith of man to the throne of God, he culmin- 
ates in that sublime utterance : 

*' Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that 
God hath made that same Jesus, whom je have crucified, both 
Lord and Christ." Acts ii : 36. 

Now for the first time it is known and proclaime^^ 
on earth that Jesus had been m.ade both Lord and 
Christ, and that, " v/hosoever shall call on the 
of the Lord shall be saved." The multitude of th- 
Jews present knew well where to go to call on the 
name of Jehovah, at the altar of sacrifice where he 



48 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

had recorded his name. But where Jesus as Lord 
had recorded his name was not yet made known, 
only that remission in his name was to be preached 
that day for the first time. Now, when they heard 
that Jesus was Lord, and that salvation was in his 
name they were pierced in the heart, and cried 
out : " What shall we do? " Had Peter told them 
to call on the name of Jehovah they would have 
known what to do. But how to call on the name 
of the Lord Jesus they must be informed. Hence 
the question, what shall we do? And the answer 
will be the answer of the Holy Spirit, announcing 
for the first time "remission of sins in the name 
of Jesus." And here is the inspired answer: 

*^ Then Peter said unto them, * Repent and be baptized every 
one of jou in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, 
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' " Acts ii : 38. 

Many of those hearers were honest and complied 
with the terms, for it is recorded : 

*' Then thev that gladly received his word were baptized ; and 
the same day there were added to them about three thousand 
souls." Acts ii : 41. 

Modern scoffers may sneer at this first proclama- 
tion of remission of sins in the name of the Lord 
Jesus, and refuse to recognize his authority, and 
seek for remission before it was authorized to be in 
his name, or, in the classic language of Mr. Ray, p. 
70, "fly in the face of Jesus, and thus contradict 
holy word." And yet there stands the first and 
final offer of remission in his name, and there 
it will stand while time shall last, and stare them in 



THE GOSPEL FIRST PREACHED. 49 

the face on the great white Throne in the Judg- 
ment Day. And " no twisting and turning can de- 
liver them from this difficulty." 

5. Now, we will look at it -from a standpoint 
subsequent to Pentecost. Paul savs : 

*^ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto vou the gospel which I 
preached unto jou, which also ye have received, and wherein ye 
stand ; by which also ye are saved, if ve keep in memory what I 
preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I deliv- 
ered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that 
Qhrist died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he 
was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the 
Scriptures." iCor. x\^: 1-4. 

Here w^e have the gospel by which the Corin- 
thians were saved, and the same gospel by which 
we are saved, if saved at all. And 3^et any one 
not blinded by prejudice can see that these facts 
could not have been truthfully proclaimed before 
they transpired, or before they were facts. 

Had the apostles, before the resurrection of 
Christ, proclaimed the death, burial and resurrec- 
tion of Christ, they would have preached falsehood 
instead of truth. And yet Mr. Ray, speaking 
from the twilight of an ante-crucifixion gospel, 
insists that the gospel by which w^e are saved, w^as 
preached before the crucifixion. 

I have given testimony enough to show that sal- 
vation through a crucified Redeemer and remission 
through his ^name was not, and could not have 
been preached before Pentecost, the "bald-faced 
assertion" of Mr. Ray to the contrary notwith- 
standing. 



CHAPTER V. 

DEVELOPMENT OF GOSPEL LIGHT. 

The full light of the gospel did not burst upon 
the world all at once. The eyes of a race sitting 
in darkness were not prepared to look upon its full 
splendor so suddenly, but like the eyes of a man 
who has been in a dungeon for years, they had 
to be prepared for it by a gradual influx of Hght. 

The successive ages of gospel development may 
be fitly illustrated by the following stages : 

I. Primeval Light. This is found in the 
garden of paradise, while man in his pristine 
innocence held free communion with his Maker. 

2. Darkness, Man sins and plunges into mid- 
night darkness, without one ray of hope, to pene- 
trate the gloom. 

3. The Starlight Age. The first star of hope 
that pierces with feeble ray, the darkness of this 
midnight gloom, is not even in the form of promise 
or prophec}/-, but couched, in the language of the 
curse upon the serpent : 

*'And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and be- 
tween thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thj head, and thou 
shalt bruise his heel." Gen. iii: 15. 

That her seed should bruise his head was very 
indefinite, and perhaps shed but little light at that 
50 



DEVELOPMENT OF GOSPEL LIGHT. 5^ 

far distant period. But it introduces the starlight 
age, or patriarchal age. And as the families 
increase, the blazing altars increase, and as so 
many stars, shed their dim starlight over the patri- 
archal age for about two thousand years. 

4. The Moonlight Age, The call of Abraham 
introduces the moonlight age, or what is com- 
monly called the Jewish age. And upon the trial 
of Abraham's faith, the seed of the woman, '' her 
seed," is centered in the seed of Abraham thus: 

" And in thj seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed ; 
because thou hast obeyed mj voice." Gen. xxii : 18. 

The seed is afterward centered in Isaac, then in 
Jacob, and in Judah, and so on by divine selection 
down to Christ, the true seed. The descendants of 
Abraham are organized into a nationality, and 
placed under law at Mt. Sinai : 

*' The law of Moses, mj servant, which I commanded unto 
him in Horeb, for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments." 
Mai. iv: 4. 

As many of the stars disappear in the presence 
of the moon, so the many altars of the starlight 
age disappear in the moonlight or Jewish age, 
w4ien God commanded them to build one altar for 
Israel. That one altar was in the court of the 
Tabernacle, afterw^ards at the Temple. 

The moonlight age continued about two thousand 
years, during which period the light w^as increased 
from time to time by prophetic teaching. 

5. The Twilight Period. This is introduced 
by the appearance of John, the harbinger, w^ho 



52 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

was to prepare a people for the Lord, and whose 
mission was to be the occasion of introducing the 
Son of God to the world. John could preach a 
Savior born^ but not a risen Savior. The light is 
gradually increasing as twihght merges into day. 
But, " He was not that Light, but was sent to bear 
witness of that Light." John i : 8. 

6. The Sunlight Age. This could not com- 
mence till the full-orbed light of the gospel of a 
risen and conquering Savior had burst upon the 
world, when all the facts of the gospel had trans- 
pired, and the truths demonstrated, and by divine 
permission it could be announced to the world, 
"That God hath made that same Jesus whom ye 
have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Acts ii : 36. 
This announcement was made by divine sanction, 
through the apostles, aided by the Holy Spirit, for 
the first time on the day of Pentecost. Now, 
for the first time, the full light of the gospel shines 
upon the world, and it is announced for the first 
time that God had "Raised him from the dead, 
and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly 
places, far above all principality, and power, and 
might, and dominion, and every name that is 
named, not only in this world, but also in that 
which is to come ; and hath put all things under 
his feet, and gave him to be the head over all 
things to the church, which is his body, the full- 
ness of him that filleth all in all." Eph. i : 20-23. 

These things did not transpire till after the as- 



DEVELOPMENT OF GOSPEL LIGHT. 53 

cension, and could not be known on earth till the 
Holy Spirit brought the news to the apostles on the 
day of Pentecost. And like the rays of the Sun 
of Righteousness, the full light then flashed upon 
the w^orld, that '' The light of the glorious gospel of 
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto 
them." As the apostle says : « 

*'For God, who commanded the light to shine out of dark- 
ness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowl- 
edge of the glorj of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. 
iv:6. 

Now that the Sunlight is come, and it is our priv- 
ilege to live in the Sunlight Age, who would leave 
the sunlight and go back and walk in the darkness? 
Who? He that would destroy the Bible. 

Who would prefer the Starlight? He who would 
introduce the Patriarchal usages. 

Who would prefer the Moonlight? He that 
thinks we are under the Law, and goes to the type 
instead of the antitype. 

Who would prefer the Twihght ? He who shades 
his eyes from the clear light of the perfected gos- 
pel, in the unfolding aurora of an approaching, but 
incompleted gospel. Come, brethren of the Twi- 
light, step out in the Sunlight, and no longer " see 
men as trees walking," but enjoy the full light and 
liberty of the sons of God. 



CHAPTER VI. 

MISREPRESENTATIONS BY UNFAIR QUOTATIONS. 

A garbled quotation is sometimes, by an unfair 
perv^^rsion, out of its connection, made to tell a 
falsehood. I have noticed some of these in the 
third chapter. Some specimens will be given in 
this : 

I. Mr. Ray, p. 92, to try to give some plausi- 
bility to his insinuation that " Mr. Campbell 
undertook to make a 7icw scct^''^ quotes Mill. Harb., 
V. 2, p. 308: 

^< Professors need not accuse us of making a new sect, nor 
pretend that they can be happy in God without a reformation 
as radical as that for which we contend." 

Mr. Ray then adds : 

**From this it appears that all professors must enter the refor- 
mation for which Mr. Campbell contends in order to be happy 
in God! " 

He evidently tries to make it appear that Mr. 
Campbell undertook to make a new sect, and taught 
that all must enter this sect in order to be happy in 
God. 

Now, read what Mr. Campbell says in connec- 
tion with the above quotation. He adds : 

^^The cry of a new sect is only a calumny. * * * ^xxt it 
must be remembered that we plead not a reformation of system, 
but 2^ ferso7ial reformation of 'principles and ma7iner'&^ an entire 
submission to Jesus as the only Prophet, Priest and King, of 
divine authority.'' Mill. Harb., v. 2, p. 308. 

54 



MISREPRESENTAT I ONS . 5 5 

This shows the kind of reformation Mr. Camp- 
bell was talking about. 
2. Mr. Ray says, p. loi : 

^'The Campbellites teach that the church or body of Christ has 
become totally corrupt and diseased, from the crown of the 
head to the soul of the foot." 

On p. 96 he gives the quotation from which the 
above is tortured : 

" In examining the diseased body of Christ, now called his 
church, w^e discover that the malady is in the heart. From the 
crown of the head to the sole of the foot, it is true, there are 
wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores." Mill. Harb. v. 2, 
p. 50. 

Now, ccmpare these two quotations. Mr. Camp- 
bell speaks of an apostasy or body, " 7iow called 
his church," and does not say "totally corrupt." 
But, by the time Mr. Ray carries it five pages for- 
ward, and beyond the glance of the .eye of the 
reader, he has tortured it to say on p. loi what it 
did not say on p. 96. But, on p. 96, and in sight 
of the quotation, Mr. Ray says : 

** And as Christ is the head of the body, the church — and Mr. 

Campbell declares the head diseased — it follows that Jesus 
Christ himself is diseased! " 

Now, Mr. Ray knew that Mr. Campbell was 
speaking of something now called his body, and 
not of the true body of which Christ is called the 
head. But then, I have ceased to expect truth in 
the Text Book where falsehood will suit its pur- 
pose better. 

Mr. Ray further adds, p. 97 : 
" But here it appears that Mr. Campbell is attempting to over- 



56 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

throw the Church of Christ in order to make room for the 
current reformation y 

That this last statement is about as false as Satan 
would desire, may be seen by referring to the quo- 
tation I introduced in No. i of this chapter, where 
Mr. Campbell pleads for 'd. -personal refoj'matwn of 
frinciples and manners. 

3. Mr. Ray says, p. 140 : 

'* He aspires to soniething 72ezv and stri]<inff\ for he says that 
his own efforts at reformation ' introduces a change in the whole 
course of reHgious instruction, as new and striking as was the 
Baconian philosophy when first applied to the dogmas of the 
schools founded on the oracles of Plato and Aristotle.' " 

This is garbled and misapplied. Here is what 
Mr. Campbell was saying : 

*^ Faith, a? universally confessed, is essential to the salvation 
of the soul — testimony essential to faith — fact essential to testi- 
mony. Therefore, all true religion is founded upon fact. The 
facts found in the divine testimony are, therefore, to be dis" 
tinguished from all the speculations, abstractions, reasonings, 
; ; J opinions of men, as the foundation of true religion — of 
right affections — and of church union, communion, and 
co-operation. Ihis cardinal point in our system of reformation 
relieves primitive Christianity from the ponderous impositions 
cf human speculations and traditions found in the homilies, 
creeds, and commentaries of fifteen centuries — from all the de- 
bates and strifes about words and doctrines, and introduces a 
change in the v/hole course of religious instruction, as new and 
striking as w^as the Baconian philosophy when first applied to the 
dogmas of the schools founded on the oracles of Plato and Aris- 
totle." Mill. Harb., v. 6, p. 351. 

Here, as the reader can see, Mr. Ray connects 
his own subject with Mr. Campbell's -predicate^ to 
make him say that " his own efforts at reformation 
introduces a cljange," etc. Perhaps Mr. Ray 



MISREPRESENT AT I ONS . 5 7 

knows what the ''Baconian philosophy'*' means; 
perhaps not. If he knows, then he is guilty of a 
willful perversion. The dogmatic method in phi- 
losophy assumed a theory and went to nature for 
facts to prove it. But the Baconian philosophy, or 
the inductive method, went to nature for the facts, 
and let a careful induction of the facts reveal the 
theory. This produced a revolution in the discov- 
eries of modern science. 

So in Christianity. The dogmatic method in 
modern theology assumed the theory, or formu- 
lated the doctrine in the creed, and went into the 
Scriptures to find passages to prove it. But the 
inductive method, as taught by Mr. Campbell, and 
referred to here, as " introducing a change," goes 
into the Scriptures and collates the facts on any 
given subject ; then the following out of these facts 
or teachings will evolve the theory, practice, or 
doctrine in the case. It is this method of study- 
ing the Scriptures that has led the Bible student 
into so much clearer an understanding of the sacred 
writings. 

4. Mr. Ray, p. 142, says : 

" It appears trom all the teachings of the Campbellites, as 
well as that of Mr. Campbell himself, that they consider repent- 
ance entirely a work of the creature, unassisted by the aid of the 
Holy Spirit." 

He then quotes, as proof, Chris. Sys., p. 64: 

**The Spirit is not promised to any persons out of Christ; it 
is promised only to them that believe in and obey him. These 
it actually and powerfully assists in the mighty struggle for 
eternal life. Some, indeed, ask: Do Christians need more ad 



58 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

to gain eternal life than sinners do to become Christians? Is 
not the work of con\ ersion a more difficult work than sanctifica- 
tion? Hence, they contend more for the work of the Spirit in 
conversion than for the work of the Spirit in sanctilication. 
This, indeed, is a mistaken view of the matter." 

Mr. Ray follows that sentence with this remark : 

*'So, with the Campbellites, it is a mistaken view that sinners 
need the aid of the Holy Spirit in conversion." 

But the reader can see that Mr. Campbell did 
not say that, Mr. Ray said it for him, and then 
charges Mr. Campbell with saying it. Besides, 
Mr. Ray does not seem to know the difference be- 
tween the aid of the HoH' Spirit through the word, 
in bringing sinners to the acknowledgment of the 
truth, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to the chil- 
dren of God. It was the contending more for the 
work of the Spirit in conversion than in sanctifica- 
tion that Mr. Campbell said was a mistaken view. 

But the above quotation from Mr. Campbell is 
wrested from its connection and made to do ser- 
vice in the enemy's ranks. Here is what Mr. 
Campbell says : 

'^Whatever the word does the Spirit does, and whatever the 
Spirit does in the work of converting men the word does. We 
neither believe nor teach abstract Spirit nor abstract word, but 
word and Spirit, Spirit and word. But the Spirit is not prom- 
ised to any persons out of Christ; it is only promised to them 
that believe in and obey him," etc., [as quoted above, which 
please read in this connection]. 

The goodness of God leads to repentance, and 
that goodness is revealed by the Spirit through the 
word of truth. 

5. Mr. Ray proposes to answer the argument of 



MISREPRESENTATIONS. 59 

Mr. Campbell, " that, though salvation is as- 
cribed TO SEVERAL CAUSES, IMMERSION IS ALWAYS 

IMPLIED," and says, p. 244, ''It is stated thus." 

But, instead of stating Mr. Campbell's argimient^ 

he very adroitly leaves out the arguinent^ and states 

the conclusion^ thus : 

*^When thej find a passage where remission of sins is men- 
tioned without immersion, it is weak or unfair in the extreme 
to argue from that that forgiveness can be enjoyed without im- 
mersion. If their logic be worth anything, it will prove 
that a man may be forgiven without grace, the blood of 
Jesus, and without faith; for we can find passages, many 

PASSAGES, where REMISSION, OR JUSTIFICATION, SANCTIFICA- 
TION, OR SOME SIMILAR TERM OCCURS, AND NO MENTION OF 
EITHER GRACE, FAITH, OR THE BLOOD OF JeSUS." Chris. Rest., 
p. 217. 

I here insert Mr. Campbell's argument for the 
benefit of the reader :• 

'' Some captious spirits need to be reminded, that as they 
sometimes find forgiveness, justification, sanctification, etc., 
' ascribed to grace, to the blood of Christ, to the name of the 
Lord, without allusion to faith ; ' so we sometimes find faith^ 
and grace, and the blood of Christ, without an allusion to 
water. Now, if they have any reason and right to say that faith 
is understood in the one case, we have the same reason and right 
to say that water or irmnersion is understood in the other. For 
their argument is, that in sundry places this matter is made 
plain enough. This is also our argument — in sundry places 
this matter is made plain enough. This single remark cuts off 
all their objections drawn from the fact that immersion is not 
always found in every place where the 7ia7ne of the Lord, or 
faitJi^ is found connected with forgiveness. Neither is grace, the 
blood of Christ, nor faith always mentioned with forgiveness. 
When they find a passage where remission of sins is mentioned 
without immersion, it is weak or unfair, in the extreine, to argue 
from that that forgiveness can be enjoyed without immersion. 



6o TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

If their logic be worth anything, it will prove that a 

MAN MAY BE FORGIVEN WITHOUT GRACE, THE BLOOD OF JeSUS, 
AND WITHOUT FAITH; FOR WE C^VN FIND PASSAGES, MANY PAS- 
SAGES, WHERE REMISSION, OR JUSTIFICATION, SANCTIFICATION, 
OR SOME SIMILAR TERM OCCURS, AND NO MENTION OF EITHER 
GRACE, FAITH, OR THE BLOOD OF JeSUS. 

As this is the pith, the marrow, and fatness of all the logic 
of our most ingenious opponents on this subject, I wish I could 
make it more emphatic than by printing it in capitals. I know 
some editors, some of our doctors of divinity, some of our 
most learned declaimers, who make this argument, which we 
unhesitatingly call a genuine sophism, the alpha and omega of 
their speeches against the meaning and indispensable importance 
of immersion or regeneration." 

6. Mr. Ray, p. 289, charges Mr. Campbell with 
trying "to monopolize to the Campbellites all the 
honor of the conversion of the world," and says : 

'^ I will here add another text to show that Mr. Campbell be- 
stows the "whole honor' of the world's conversion on those 
who have embraced his own scheme of things." 

He quotes Mill. Harb., vol. i, p. 58: 

" We will attempt to show that there will be, or that there is 
now, a scheme of things presented in what is called the ancient 
Gospel^ which is long enough, broad enough, strong enough for 
the whole superstructure called the Millenial Church; and that 
it will alone he the instruinefit of coiiverting the whole human 
race^ and of uniting all Christians upon one and the same found- 
ation." 

In the margin Mr. Ray labels this : '' Campbell- 
ism to convert the world." Now read what Mr. 
Campbell was talking about. He says : 

''We need not expect that the sects will have a meeting to 
fgree on principles of union. Nor would we wish to see such a 
meeting on any sectarian principle. But we will attempt to 
show that there will be, or that there is now, a scheme of things 
presented in what is called the aticient Gosfely which is long 



MISREPRESENTATIONS. 6l 

enough, broad enough, strong enough for the whole super- 
structure called the Millenial Church ; and that it will alone be 
the instrument of converting the whole human race, and of 
uniting all Christians upon one and the same foundation." 
Mill. Harb., vol. i, p. 58. 

In the next paragraph Mr. Campbell speaks of 
this schefite^ as ''the great Scheme, called 'the 
wtsdo7n and ^ower of God unto salvation,' and 
adds : 

*'If th3 gospel facts are all believe 1, and the authority of 
Jesus Christ regarded, we have everything which Christianity 
presents to redeem, save, purify, and happify the world." 

This shows that the scheme of thinofs, as a 
sufficient foundation and basis of union proposed 
by Mr. Campbell was a return to the pure gospel 
as written by the apostles. And yet Mr' Ray, by 
a garbled extract, attempts to represent it as a sys- 
tem of teaching prepared by Mr. Campbell. 

7. In attempting to convict Mr. Campbell of 
contradicting himself, Mr. Ray, p. 340, quotes Mr. 
Campbell as saying that "justification changes our 
state," and says : 

*'This declares that justification changes our state; but Mr. 
Campbell again represents * Immersion as that act by which our 
state is changed.' In the former of tLese texts Mr. Campbell 
\\7\.?> justification to cJiajige our state^ and in the latter he has 
immersion to change our state. Shall we believe he is right in 
both cases, and witli closed eyes swallow both statements down? " 

Possibly Mr. Ray, "with closed eyes," could 
see a contradiction in those two sentences. But, 
to make out a contradiction, he quotes the little end 
of a sentence detached from the subject. Here is 
Mr. Campbell's language : 



^2 I'EXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

<*That faith by itself neither justifies, sanctifies, nor purifies, 
is admitted by those who oppose immersion for the forgiveness 
of sins. They all include the idea of the blood of Christ. And 
yet they seem not to perceive that, in objecting to immersion as 
necessary to forgiveness in connection with faith, their own 
arguments preclude them from connecting the blood of Christ 
with faith. If they admit that faith, apart from the blood of 
Christ, can not obtain pardon, they admit all that is necessary 
to prove them inconsistent with themselves in opposing immer- 
sion for remission of sins; or immersion as that act by which 
our state is changed." 

8. In an effort to ridicule the relation of immer- 
sion to the new birth, p. 234, Mr. Ray makes a 
garbled quotation from Chris. Rest., p. 243, thus: 

*<Down into the water you were led. Then the name of the 
Holy One upon your faith and upon your person was pronounced. 
You were then buried in the water under that name. It closed 
itself upon you. In its womb you were concealed. Into the 
Lord, as in the water, you were immersed. But in the water 
you continued not. Of it you were born, and from it you came 
forth, raised with Jesus, and rising in his strength. There your 
consciences were released, for there your old sins were washed 
away.' 

This is evidently severed from its connection, to 
make Mr. Ray's pet theory of water alone^ stand 
out. 

Now, kind reader, you can read it in its con- 
nection, and draw your own conclusions. Here it 
is : 

**You heard the testimony of God concerning Jesus of Naz- 
areth, and you believed it. You were, in consequence of your 
faith, so disposed toAvards the person of Jesus as to be willing 
to put yourseh^es under his guidance. This faith and this will 
brought you to the water. You were not ashamed nor afraid to 
confess him before men. You solemnly declared you regarded 
him as God's only Son, and the Savior of men. You 



MISREPRESENTATIONS . 63 

vowed allegiance to him. Down into the water you were led. 
Then the name of the Holy One upon j'our faith and upon jour 
person was pronounced. You were then buried in the water 
under that name. It closed itself upon vou. In its w^omb jou 
were concealed. Into the Lord, as in the water, jou were im- 
mersed. But in the water 3'ou continued not. Of it you were 
born, and from it j^ou came forth, raised w^ith Jesus, and rising 
in his strength. There your consciences were released ; for 
there your old sins were washed away. And although you 
received not the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which confirmed the 
testimony to the first disciples, you felt the powers of the world 
to come, were enlightened, and tasted the bounty of God ; tor 
seasons of refreshinent from the presence of God came upon 
you. Your hearts were sprinkled from evil consciences when 
your bodies were wasli^d in the cleansing water. Then into 
the Kingdom of Jesus you entered." Chris. Rest., p. 243. 

9. Mr. Ray says, p. 211, ''Again the Bethany 
reformer says : 

No man could now be pardoned as Abel was, as Enoch was, 
as David was, as the thief upon the cross was. These all lived 
before the seco7zd zvill of God Avas declared. 

On the above Mr. Ray asks this question : 

<* But why did not the 'reformer' favor us with the law and 
the testimony on the subject.? Did he consider his bare word 
as equal authority with the Bible? " 

This question impHes, first, that Mr. Ray sup- 
posed some of his readers would be so ignorant of 
the Scriptures as not to know that the above state- 
ment of Mr. Campbell is true, and according to the 
word of God. Second, it shows that Mr. Raj^ 
intended to deceive his readers by conveying the 
idea that Mr. Campbell had not "favored us with 
the law and the testimony on this subject," when 
he knew that Mr. Campbell did give the law and 
the testimony in that connection. But he chose to 



64 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

take a garbled extract and make it bear false 
witness. 

Mr. Campbell had referred to and quoted the 
commission under which the apostles were to 
preach the gospel to all the world, as recorded by 
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. He had then 
referred to the first proclamation under that commis- 
sion on the day of Pentecost, and showed how 
"repentance and remission of sins in His name" 
first began to be preached at Jerusalem for all na- 
tions, that those who believed were by divine 
authority commanded to be baptized in the name 
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. He had 
referred to the apostolic practice and teaching in 
several cases of conversion, as the five thousand, 
the family of Cornelius, the baptism of Saul, etc. 
He had also referred to the Epistles, where the Ro- 
mans had been baptized into Jesus Christ, into his 
death ; where the Galatians had been baptized into 
Christ and had put on Christ ; where the Colossians 
were buried with him in baptism and risen with 
him, and that their trespasses had been all for- 
given, etc. But as this is " the law and the testi- 
mony " of the Scri^tures^ and not ''Baptist 
usage," perhaps Mr. Ray does not regard it as 
''law and testimony." 

Here follows the paragraph from which the 
garbled extract is taken, and you can read it in 
its connection : 

<* I know how reluctant men are to submit to God's government ; 



MISREPRESENTATIONS . 65 

and jet thej must all bow at last. * To Jesus every knee shall 
bow, and to him every tongue confess.' But thev will object to 
bowing 7tow^ and torture invention for excuses. They will fell 
me all that I have said is true of natural and moral means and 
ends; but immersion is not a moral means, because God forg^\e 
sins and saved men before immersion was appointed. * It is a 
positive and not a moral institution.' And is there no moral 
influence connected with positive institutions.^ A iv n't fen law 
is a positive institution ; for moral law existed before written law. 
But because it has become a positive institution, has its moral 
power ceased? The moral injluence of all positive institutious is 
God's\Yii^i^ expressed in tJiem. x\nd it matters not whether it be 
the eating or not eating of an apple, the building of an altar, or 
the building it with or without the aid of iron tools ; the offer- 
ing of a kid, a lamb, a bullock, or a pigeon, — it is just as mor- 
ally binding, and has the same moral influence as * You shall 
honor your father and mother,' or 'You shall not kill.' It is 
THE WILL OF GoD in any institution which gives it all its moral 
and physical power. No man could now be pardoned as Abel 
was — as Enoch was — as David was — as the thief upon the 
cross was. These all lived before the second will of God was 
declared. 'He took away the first xvill,'' says Paul, ' that he 
might establish the secoiid tvill,'' by which we are sanctified. 
We are not pardoned as were the Jews or the Patriarchs. It was 
not till Jesus was buried and rose again that an acceptable offer- 
ing for sin was presented in the heavens. By one offering up of 
himself he has perfected the conscience of the immersed, or 
sanctified. Since his oblation, a new institution for remission 
has been appointed. You need not flatter yourselves that God 
will save or pardon you, except for Christ's sake; and if his 
name is not assumed by you, if you have not put him on, if 
you have not come under his advocacy, you have not the name 
of Christ to plead, nor his intercession on your behalf — and, 
therefore, for Christ's sake you can not be forgiv^en. Could 
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Aaron, think you, 
if living now — could they, I ask, find forgiveness at the altar.? 
And will you imagine that he who honored every institution 
by Moses by connecting rewards and punishments with the 
obedience or disobedience of his commands, be less jealous for 



66 



TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 



the honor of the institution of his Son? And will that Son, 
who, for no other purpose than to honor his Father's insti- 
tution, was immersed in the Jordan, bestow pardon or 
salvation upon any who refuse to honor him, and him that 
sent him? He has been graciously pleased to adapt means to 
ends. He has commanded immersion for the remission of sins; 
and think you that he will change his institution because of your 
stubborn or intractable disposition? You might as reasonably 
pray for loaves from heaven, or manna, because Israel ate it in 
the desert, as to pray for pardon while you refuse the remission 
of your sins by immersion.'* 




CHAPTER VII. 

MISREPRESENTATIONS BY QUOTATIONS AND UNFAIR 
DEDUCTIONS OR CONCLUSIONS. 

I. Mr. Ray places at the head of a section, p. 

125, this proposition in capitals : 

^^Mr. Campbell claims to have restored the Holy 
Spirit." 

To make out his proposition he quotes Mr. 
Campbell thus : 

*'A return to the whole institution in principle and practice, 
in sentiment and behavior, — we saj the whole institution, 
without addition or subtraction, and without any new modifica- 
tion, — is indispensable to the restoration of that holy spirit 
which filled the first saints with righteousness, peace, and joy." 
Mill. Harb., vol. 2, p. 307. 

He then jumps at his conclusion thus .: 

*< But Mr. Campbell affirms that the return to the whole znsti- 
tutio7i of the Gospel is indispensable to the restoratio7i of the 
Holy Spirit 'which filled the first saints vjith righteousness^ 
peace, a7td joy.'' 

Notice the perversion. Mr. Campbell said that 
holy s^irit^ speaking of the pure spirit of the 
saints. Mr. Ray makes him say the Holy S^irit^ 
putting it in capitals to make it refer to the divine 
Spirit, instead of the purified human spirit. Again, 
Mr. Campbell does not claim to have restored it, 
as Mr. Ray charges, but says a return to the whole 
institution, etc., was necessary to restore it. This 

67 



68 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

seems to be a kind of logic peculiar to the Text 
Book. 

2. Mr. Ray's proposition at the head of a sec- 
tion, p. 130, reads thus : 

^* Mr. Campbell teaches that none can enjoy the influ- 
ence OF THE Kingdom of God unless they go into the 
reformation." 

He then quotes Mr. Campbell thus : 

** No person can enjoy the influence of a government under 
which he does not live. We must Hve in tlie kingdom or under 
the government of Jesus Christ if we would enjoy the hlessings 
of his reign. Hence the ancient order of things is as necessary 
to the happiness of the disciples as the ancient Gospel to bring 
men into the only kingdom of Jesus which exists on earth." 
Mill. Harb., vol. 2, p. 53. 

Mr. Ray comments thus : 

^^ First, In this text it is taught that none out of the kingdom 
of Christ can enjoy the blessings of his reign. The pardon of 
sins is one of the blessings of his reign; therefore, if the Camp- 
bellite society is the kingdom of Christ, then none but a Camp- 
bellite can enjoy the pardon of sins! " 

What a fine specimen of Ray logic ! He first 
assumes that the Campbellite Society is the king- 
dom of Christ, for neither the Christians nor Mr. 
Campbell ever so taught. He then formulates his 
syllogism in substance thus : Major premise — none 
out of the kingdom of Christ can enjoy the blessings 
of Jiis reign ; minor premise — the pardon of sins is 
one of the blessings of his reign ; conclusion — there- 
fore, none but a Campbellite can enjoy the pardon 
of sins ! To hide the glaring sophistry of his 
logic, he obscures the assumed premises with an if 
in the conclusion. I find much of this kind of 



MISREPRESENTATIONS . 69 

logic in the Text Book, and I think when Mr. 
Ray gets out his new work on the improved logic, 
we will all need to revise our logic. 

3. Mr. Ray, p. 145, quotes Mr. Campbell, thus : 

^*And here it is worthy of notice that the apostles, in all 
their speeches and replies to interrogatories, never commanded 
an inquirer to pray, read, or sing, as preliminary to comfng ; 
but always commanded and proclaimed immersion as the first 
duty, or first thing to be done after a belief of the testimony." 
Mill. Harb., Ext. No. i, p. 35. 

Upon this Mr. Ray comments thus : 

'^ Here is the testimony that the repentance of Campbellism 
is entirely destitute of j)rayer. The sinner must not even^r^/, 
read^ or sing before immersion! " 

Here is another specimen of Ray logic. Any 
one can see that Mr. Ray has perverted the lan- 
guage of Mr. Campbell. Mr. Campbell did not 
say the sinner 7nust not even pray, read, or sing, 
etc. It was Mr. Ray who said that. Neither does 
Mr. Campbell say that it is destitute of prayer, nor 
that the natural overflowing of the contrite heart 
should be restrained. He only says that the 
apostles never commanded an inquirer to do those 
things as preliminary to coming, — a statement 
which any one can see is true by reading the Acts 
of the Apostles through. But Mr. Ray speaks of 
it as if he wanted to make the impression that the 
apostles did so teach. But if they ever did so 
teach why did not Mr. Ray give an example of it? 
Simply because there is no such example. And 
why should Mr. Ray, or the Baptists, or anj^body 
else keep the sinner out, worrying, and struggling, 



70 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

and wrestling, when he has beheved in Christ, and 
it is his privilege to come in? The apostles did not 
so teach. It is a practice of modern origin. But 
Mr. Ray dodges back into the Twilight period to 
find examples, and fails to find one. The examples 
he gives are on a different subject, and do not 
touch the subject before him. I will attend to 
these examples under another head. The obliquity 
of Mr. Ray's vision may possibly be accounted for 
from the fact that he has taken his stand in the 
Twilight period, and can not see things in the clear 
Sunlight of the gospel. I will here give the para- 
graph from which the extract introducing this 
article is taken, that the reader may see its connec- 
tion, and what Mr. Campbell was teaching: 

*'An external conversion is no conversion at all. A turning 
to God with the lips Avhile the heart is far from him, is mere 
pretence and mockery. But though I never thought anything 
else since I thought anything upon religion, I understand the 
* turning to God, taught in the New Institution, to be a coming 
to the Lord Jesus — not a thhikmg about doing it, nor a repe?it- 
ing that we have not done it — but an actual coming to him. 
The question then is, where shall we find him.? Where shall we 
meet him.'* Nowhere on earth but in his institutions. * Where 
he records his name,' — there only can he be found; for there 
only has he promised to be found. I affirm, then, that the first 
institution in which we can meet with God is the institution for 
remission. And here it is worthy of notice that the apostles, 
in all their speeches and replies to interrogatories, never com- 
manded an inquirer to pray, read, or sing as preliminary to 
coming ; but always commanded and proclaimed immersion as 
the first duty, or first thing to be done after a belief of testimony. 
Hence, neither praying, singing, reading, repenting, sorrowing, 
resolving, nor waiting to be better, was the converting act. Im- 



MISREPRESENTATIONS . 7 1 

mersion alone was that act of turning to God. ' Mill. Harb., 
Ext. No. I, p. 35. 

4. Mr. Ray says, p. 149, "This improved 
repentance is altogether without mourningiox sins," 
and charges Mr. Campbell with '' scoffing at the 
penitence of the mourner ^^^ in the following 
language : 

''Is there knowledge, faith, or repentance in a mourning- 
bench, an anxious-board, a sheaf of straw, or an altar of wood? Is 
there .light, or love, or piety in noise, and tumult, and shouting? 
* * * And do thej not use many prayers, sing many songs, 
and hold many meetings for the illumination of those who wish 
to be converted? All this and much more may be conceded, and 
yet the theory and practice are without warrant, or favor, or 
support from the oracles of reason, of law, or Gospel." Mill. 
Harb. (N. S.) vol. 5, p. 246. 

This Mr. Ray perverts and tortures into '' scoff- 
ing at the penitence of the mourner." But the 
reader will notice that Mr. Campbell says not a 
word against the penitence of the mourner. Mr. 
Ray is responsible for that. Mr. Campbell asks if 
knowledge, faith, or repentance come from that 
source, and if light, or love, or piety are produced 
by noise and confusion. And I think even Mr. 
Ray, with all his Twilight mist, would scarcely 
answer them in the affirmative. Yet he can scoff 
at Mr. Campbell for asking them. Then Mr. 
Campbell also affirms that the theory and practice 
are without Scriptural w^arrant. And neither Mr. 
Ray, nor all the preachers that have ever encouraged 
that practice, ever found Scriptural authority for it. 
Indeed the practice is comparatively modern, not 



72 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

yet a hundred years old. Still, Mr. Ray, from his 
Twilight stand-point, and evidently without his 
glasses on, thinks he has found the authority, and 
quotes from the apostle James ; 

**Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to jou. Cleanse 
your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double- 
minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter 
be turned to mourning, your joy into heaviness. Humble your- 
selves in the sight of God, and he will lift you up." Jas. iv : 9, 10. 

Possibly he thought he had found it, or possibly 
he thought he could palm it off upon his ignorant 
readers as a text in point. He says : 

''This is the apostolic comvia7id to '■sinners^'' U7ibaptized per- 
sons^ hi the Nevj Tcstaine7it dispensation^ to 7noiirn^ and weep^ 
while humbli7ig t/ie7nselves i7i the sight of God. And still, in the 
face of truth, Campbellites, professed Christians, will mock at 
the cries and tears of the 77iournersl Far better that a millstone 
were hanged about our neck than to offend one of these peni- 
tent ones that believe in Jesus." 

Now, the reader will please notice that Christians 
do not ''mock at the cries and tears of the 
mourfiers,^^ But they do protest against the theory 
arid practice of such blind leaders of the blind as 
Mr. Ray and those with him, who restrain from 
obedience, and keep in darkness and ignorance, 
those honest seekers, those ^'' -penitent ones that be- 
lieve in Jesus," and refuse to tell them what to do 
to be saved. Such teachers are the ones that 
''mock at the cries and tears of the mourners." 
If those seekers or mourners are, as Mr. Ray calls 
them, penitent believers, they are entitled to the 
Scriptural answer, "Repent and be baptized, 



MISREPRESENTATIONS. 73 

every one of 3^ou, in the name of Jesus Christ, for 
the remission of sins." Acts ii : 38. Yet Mr. 
Ray would heartlessly mock at their cries and 
tears, and bid them keep on crying and weeping, 
while he withholds from them the Lord's invitation 
to come to the obedience of the faith. Still, 
while he, "in the face of the tiTith, will mock at 
the cries and tears of the mourners ! " he tries to 
charge it upon the Christians, like Nero did when 
setting Rome on fire. So, I think he is entitled to 
wear the jewel he described, — a millstone hung 
about his neck. 

''If ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise," is 
an old saying. But whether it was the ignorance 
of Mr. Ray that culminated in saying that the 
Epistle of James was addressed to unba^tized shi- 
ners^ or whether it is the result of stubborn- 
ness, may be problematical; if the former, I fear 
that, if his ignorance were to " strike in," it might 
prove fatal. 

James addresses his letter to those whom he calls 
'' my brethren," i : 2, and '' my beloved brethren," 
i: 16, 19. Again: ''My brethren have not the 
faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, 
with respect of persons. For if there come into 
your assembly," etc., ii:i, 2. Again: "That 
worthy name by which ye are called," ii : 7. He 
says, finally: 

** Brethren, if any of jou do err from the truth, and one con- 
vert him ; let him know, that he who converteth the sinner from 



74 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

the error of his waj shall save a soul from death and hide a mul- 
titude of sins," v: 19, 20. 

From this any one, except Mr. Ray, can see that 
the apostle was addressing his Christian brethren, 
who had the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, and were 
called by that worthy name, [Christian] and that 
the '' sinner" spoken of was one of them who had 
erred from the faith, and one converted him from 
the error of his ways. 

5. Some persons seem to have disobedience so 
bound up in their hearts, that they are constantly 
sneering, or making flings at immersion, the act of 
obedience by which the penitent sinner acknowl- 
edges the authority of Christ. And, as " out of the 
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh," Mr. 
Ray, p. 251, closes a list of twenty-five stabs at 
immersion, with this expression of relief: 

** These are only a part ot the blessings ascribed by Mr. Camp- 
bell to immersion, and, as I have before stated, I am convinced 
that the Campbellites are guilty of idolatry in attaching such an 
unscriptural importance to baptism." 

There now ! The stomach must have felt relief 
when that load came off. Suppose we transfer the 
boot- to the other foot and see how it fits. Honor 
bright, now; which looks more like idolatry, — the 
Christians who place immersion just where the 
apostles place it, making no more nor less of it 
than they did, simply the overt act of obedience by 
which the penitent believer recognizes the authority 
of Christ, and acknowledges allegiance to him, or 
the Baptists who make immersion a Christian duty, 



MISRJEPRESENTATIONS . 7 5 

and then worship it by wearing it as a name, caUing 
themselves Baftistsf The idolatrous shoe fits 
better on that foot, and those who live in glass 
houses should not throw stones at their neighbors. 
Mr. Ray, finding himself cornered and cramped, 
makes this feeble effort to ward off the imputation 
of scoffing at immersion as an act of obedience : 
"I do not wish to underrate the importance of im- 
mersion by neglecting it, but we should not exalt 
baptism to the place of our Savior." Is not that 
decidedly brilliant I Just think of a man saying, 
I do not wish to underrate the oath of allegiance 
by neglecting it, but we should not exalt naturali- 
zation to the place of our Savior. Let me enjoy 
the rights of citizenship first, and then I will be 
naturalized ! Or, think of the lady betrothed to a 
gentleman saying, Ldo not wish to underrate the 
importance of the marriage ceremony by neglecting 
it, but we should not exalt that legal form to the 
place of our Savior. Let me enjoy the happiness 
and blessings of matrimony, and the benefits of 
his name at the bank and merchant's desk, and 
wear his name for awhile, till he gives me an ex- 
perimental evidence that I am his wife, then I will 
consent to have his name called upon me in the 
marriage ceremony ! Mr. Ray further says : 

*' The Campbellites do not seem to understand why we im- 
merse at all, if we think that sins can be pardoned without 
immersion. In reply, we ask, why do the Campbellites < break 
the loaf,' if they think their sins were pardoned previously?" 

Perhaps that rises to the dignity of Ray logic ! — 



76 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

nothing more. Every one familiar with the Scrip- 
tures knows that remission of sins in the name of 
Jesus was never offered till the day of Pentecost, 
as recorded in the second chapter of Acts. On 
that occasion Peter addressed the Jews who were 
aliens and unbelievers as to Jesus and his kingdom, 
and said: " Hearken to my words." " Hear these 
words." "Let all the house of Israel know 
assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, 
whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." 
"Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in 
the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of 
sins." Acts ii : 14, 22, 36, 38. Here are four 
things the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of Peter, the 
eleven concurring, required of those who were yet 
aliens, and just in the order that I have here named 
them, as every unprejudiced jseader can see for 
himself. They, being honest, complied with the 
terms : " Then they that gladly received his word 
were baptized ; and the same day there were added 
unto them about three thousand souls." Verse 
41. Now they have complied with the terms of 
citizenship, and are regarded as citizens. And 
the forty-second verse says: "And they con- 
tinued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fel- 
lowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." 
These last are Christian duties. And we notice 
this distinction : The alien duties are steps taken 
in coming into the kingdom, and occur but once, 
and not to be repeated, while Christian duties are 



MISREPRESENTATIONS. 77 

recurring duties, and they continued steadfastly 
in them. If baptism was a Christian duty it would 
be a recurring duty, to be repeated as often as con- 
tinuing steadfastly in those duties required. And 
if a man could become a Christian without being 
baptized, and then be baptized because he is a 
Christian, then how often should he be baptized 
because he is a Christian? Once a week? But 
Mr. Ray takes some of these Christian duties in 
the forty-second verse and puts them among the 
alien duties, and takes one of the alien duties and 
incorporates it with the Christian duties. Hence, 
in the sentence quoted from him above, he puts 
baptism on the same footing with breaking the loaf. 
He then quotes from Mr. Campbell thus : 

*^ When a person has no sins to confess, I do not baptize him. 
Baptism can neither be the seeking or answer of a good 
conscience to the man that has no sins from which to be 
cleansed." Mill. Harb., N. S. vol. 4, p. 29. 

Mr. Ray then says : " This shows that it is fear 
alone that moves the Campbellites to obedience." 
Surely to none but a prejudiced eye could that sen- 
tence be tortured to yield that meaning. 

6. Mr. Ray charges, p. 263, that, "The regen- 
eration of Campbellism produces no moral change 
or improvement. It affects the moral powers of 
man no more than it affects his height^ corj^ulency^ 
or the color of his skin ! It is immersion alone ^ 
for Mr. Campbell has declared that ' immersion 
alone was that act of turning to God.' So, then, if 
Campbellites are correct, it is neither the Father, 



yS TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

Son, nor Holy Spirit that regenerates sinners ; but 
it is the preacher or administrator of immersion 
that performs the work of regeneration ! " Now, 
if the devil had been writing that in person, no 
doubt he would have expressed it in that way, as 
being in keeping with the character of his Satanic 
Majesty. It has already been shown that when 
Mr. Campbell said " immersion alone was that act 
of turning to God," bespoke of an outward act of 
obedience, always preceded by the internal changes 
effected in faith and repentance. 

As a refutation of such slanders as the above, let 
Mr. Campbell speak for himself. He says : 

** But our opponents have done us a great deal of injustice, in 
representing us as pleading for '-water regeneration.' They have 
endeavored to preach us down, and sing us down, and write us 
down, hy holding us up to public reprobation, as advocates of a 
mere baptismal regeneration ; but they have not succeded, nor 
can they succeed, with any who will either hear us or read us on 
these subjects. No man believes more cordially; or teaches 
more fully the necessity of a spiritual change of our affec- 
tions — a change of heart — than I do. I have said a thousand 
times that if a person wxre to be immersed twice seven times in 
the Jordan for the remission of sins, or for the reception of the 
Holy Spirit, it would avail nothing more than wetting the face 
of a baje, unless his heart is changed by the word and Spirit ot 
God. I have no confidence in any instrumentality, ordinance, 
means, or obsen^ance, unless the Jieart is turned to God. This 
is the fundamental, the capital point; but, with these, every 
other divine ordinance is essential for the spiritual enlargement, 
confirmation and sanctification of the faithful." Camp. & Rice 
Deb., p. 544. 

A man's own language and explanation should 



MISREPRESENTATIONS . ^9 

be accepted as his teaching, and will be so accepted 
by all honest persons. 

7. On p. 268, Mr. Ray quotes from Mr. Camp- 
bell thus : 

^^ All the moral power of God or of man is exhibited in the 
truth Avhich they propose. Therefore we may say that if the 
light or the truth contain all the moral power of God, then the 
truth alone is all that is necessary to the conversion of men, for 
we have before argued and proved that the converting power is 
moral power." Mill. Harb., v. 2, p. 397. 

Mr. Ray then says : *' This is emphatically the 
wovd-alo7ze system, which denies the real presence 
of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of sinners." 
A rnan willing to accept the truth could not make 
such a willful and wicked perversion as that 
sentence utters. 

After Mr. Campbell has showm that converting 
power is moral, not -physical power, and that the 
word of truth contains the power of God, the power 
of the Holy Spirit, and conveys it to the minds of 
intelligent beings, Mr. Ray inverts his glasses or 
his eyes, and, looking directly at it, declares it to be 
" emphatically the word-alone system." It is 
Mr. Ray, then, that divorces the Spirit from the 
word, and his blasphemous utterance, though aimed 
at Mr. Campbell, is really against the word of 
God. Jesus prayed : '' Sanctify them through thy 
truth; thy word is truth." John xvii : 17. But 
Mr. Ray says it is the word alone, Paul says : 
" In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the 
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation." Eph. 



8o TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

1:13. But Mr. Ray would correct Paul and tell him 
that the word of truth is the word alone^ and that 
Paul was a Campbellite. Again, Paul says : ^' For 
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ ; for it 
is the power of God unto salvation to every one 
that believeth ; to the Jew first, and also to the Gen- 
tile." Rom. i : 16. But Mr. Ray would call Paul 
to order, and say : You are mistaken ; that '' word 
of truth, the gospel of your salvation," that you 
address to the Gentiles at Ephesus, is not "the 
power of God unto salvation," for it is the word 
alone. Dr. Luke, in recording the conquests of 
the gospel at Ephesus, tells us that those who dwelt 
in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus ;" '' and 
many that believed came and confessed ;" and that 
many burnt their books of magic arts, etc. And, 
closing the account, says : "So mightily grew the 
word of God and prevailed." Acts xix : 10, 18, 20. 
But Mr. Ray would revise this absurd history of Dr. 
Luke, and tell us that Dr. Luke was a Campbellite, 
and taught the " word-alone system ; " that it was 
not the word of God that grew so mightily and pre- 
vailed ; it was the abstract power of the Spirit that 
grew and prevailed so mightily, for the word alone 
has no power. 

But who authorized Mr. Ray, or any other 
scoffer at the word of God, to separate the Spirit 
from the word of God, and talk about the word 
alone? " What God hath joined together, let not 
man put asunder." In the Bible the lamp repre- 



MISREPRESENTATIONS . 8 1 

sents the word of God. " Thy word is a lamp to 
my feet." Ps. cix : 105. Oil represents the Spirit 
of God. In its illuminating office it is always in 
the lamp. Oil alone ^ or lamp alone ^ gives no light. 
The oil must be in the lamp to give light. So in 
the antitype, — the Spirit shines through the word 
of truth. And that is the reason the foolish vir- 
gins were in the dark. They had separated the oil 
from the lamp, and had lamp alone. Just so Mr. 
Ray separates the Spirit from the word, and leaves 
the word alo7ie^ and if he does not change his 
course he will be like the foolish virgins in the 
dark, and fail to gain admittance with the bride- 
groom. The anointing with oil represented the 
sanctifying or comforting influence of the Spirit, 
not its illuminating px)wer. 

" We love him because he first loved us." And 
that love draws us to Christ. But we do not know 
that he loved us and died for us except through 
the woi'd of truth. The abstract Spirit has never 
revealed that to mortal men. Hence, it is plain, to 
any unprejudiced mind, that the power to draw 
men to Jesus is in the word. 

8. Mr. Ray, p. 274, says : 

"Yes, it is the doctrine of Campbellism that the Holj Spirit 
does not now use the Bible." 

This is his comment on the following extract he 
had just quoted from Mr. Campbell : 

" It [the Bible] is not called the sword of the Spirit so much 
on account of him who uses it as of him who fashioned it. 
■X- -x- * 'pj^g gospel, then, must be preached as it was in the 



82 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

beginning by all those who would reform, remould^ or regenerate 
men." Mill. Harb., (N. S.) vol. i, p. 379. 

On this Mr. Ray says : 

*• Paul advises the Christian warrior to take * the sword of the 
Spirit, which is the word of God ; ' but Mr. Campbell is not 
willing for the ^Spirit to aid in the use of his own sword." 

That a man outside of a lunatic asylum should 
quote that text in that connection, is simply amazing. 
He evidently summoned the wrong witness, for it 
asserts precisely what Mr. Campbell asserts in the 
extract quoted. That is, that the Christians are to 
use the sword of the Spirit by preaching the gos- 
pel. He is addressing Christians, and says : 

** Put on the whole armor of God that je may be able fto stand 
against the wiles of the devil." "Take unto jou the whole 
armor of God." **And take the helmet of salvation, and the 
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Eph. vi : 11, 

Christians are taught to take, put on, and use the 
whole armo7\ But Mr. Ray would assure us that 
Paul and Mr. Campbell were both old fogies, and 
were mistaken; that, in Paul's panoply for the 
Christian to use, one article, the sword of the 
Spirit, was introduced by mistake, and should have 
been left out for the Spirit to use, as more in ac- 
cordance with D. B. R's ideas of the fitness of 
things, and Baptist usage. 

We have abundant evidence that Christians of 
to-day, as well as in Paul's day, need the panoply, 
or whole armor, to be '' able to stand against the 
wiles of the devil," so ingeniously devised in the 
Text Book on Campbellism. 

9. On p. 276 Mr. Ray says : 



MISREPRESENTATIONS. 83 

«<Itis evident, according to the teachings of Mr. Campbell, 
that he does not admit that the Holy Spirit is really present in 
any case of conversion, or that he really dwells in the hearts of 
the children of men." 

And to show what makes this " evident,^' he 
quotes Mr. Campbell : 

''For every man who supposes that he was converted to God 
by the literal descent of the Holy Spirit, or by its naked influ- 
ence upon his spirit, is as certainly deluded as the followers of 
Jose/ph Smithy vs^ho believe in his Golden Bible, or the plates of 
Nephi," etc." Mill. Harb. v. 2, p. 211. 

There now ! we will admit that Mr. Ray has 
made it '' evident^''' that darkness broods over the 
mind of any man who can not see, that to be con- 
verted by the literal descent of the Holy Spirit, or 
its naked influence upon the spirit of man, is one 
thing, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in con- 
version is another and different thing, and the 
indwelling of the Spirit in the heart of the Christian 
still a different thing, and that he only exposes his 
ignorance when he attempts to teach others, or to 
write a Text Book to lead others into the dark. 

10. Mr. Ray quotes Mr. Campbell, p. 278: 

** But to return : as the spirit of ma7i puts fortJi all its moral 
power i7i the IV or ds ^I'hich it fills ^ zvith its ideas ^ so the Spirit of 
God puts forth all it^ coiivertiug a7id sanctifying po'uer in the 
zvords which it fills with its ideas. Miracles can not convert; 
they only obtain a favorable hearing of the converting argu- 
ments. If they fail to obtain a favorable hearing, the arguments 
which they prove are impotent as an unknown tongue. If the 
Spirit of God has spoken all its arguments, or if the New and 
Old Testaments contain all the arguments which can be offered 
to reconcile man to God, and to purify them who are reconciled, 
then all the power of the Holy Spirit which can operate upon 



84 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

f.ie human mind is spent; and he that is not sanctified and saved 
by these, can not be saved by angels or spirits, human or divine.'' 
Mill. Harb. vol. 2, p. 295. 

On this" Mr. Ray says : 

<<Mr. Campbell has declared that ALL THE POWER OF 
THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH CAN OPERATE UPON THE 
HUMAN MIND IS SPENT!" 

He further says : 

*' With these facts before us, it can not reasonably be doubted 
that all true Campbellites heartily repudiate the doctrine that 
the Holy Spirit really co-operates with the word in the conv^er- 
sion and sanctification of men." 

The reader can see for himself that these two 
statements of Mr. Ray are absolutely and unmis- 
takably false, that neither the first nor the second 
is either affirmed, nor is deducible from the sen- 
tence or paragraph he quotes from Mr. Campbell. 
Notice, first, that Mr. C. is speaking of the mo- 
tives put forth to draw sinners to Christ, and not 
of the indwelling of the Spirit in the heart of 
Christians. And second, he does not affirm that 
all the power, etc. is spent, but, if the Spirit has 
spoken all the arguments, motives, etc. that '' can 
be offered to reconcile man to God, etc.," then 
all the power, etc. is spent. Now, every logician 
can see that Mr. Campbell simply uttered a logical 
sequence. (I don't mean Ra}^ logic.) And if 
there are any motives, arguments, facts, or truths, 
not revealed in the word of truth, which can rec- 
oncile man to God, Mr. Ray ought to be able to 
tell us what they are, and how revealed, or else 
cease contending for them as essential to conversion. 



MISREPRESENTATIONS . 85 

Notice, third, that, so far from denying that the 
Spirit co-operates with the word in conversion, as 
Mr. Ray charges, the co-operation of the Spirit 
with the word is just what Mr. Campbell was teach- 
ing in the extract above quoted, and what all 
Christians teach who follow the word of God. 
Christians teach that the Holy Spirit co-operates 
with the word in conversion. Mr. Ray teaches 
that he operates by himself, or independent of the 
word of truth. Or, if he does not so teach, there 
is no difference between us at that point. 

When the rich man in hades desired some other 
evidence beyond the word of truth to send to his 
brethren, to bring them to repentance, he was 
reminded that: "If they hear not Moses and the 
prophets, neither will they be persuaded,, though 
one rose from the dead." Luke xvi:3i. Now, 
we have Moses and the prophets, and the apostles, 
and if we will not hear them, it can scarcely be 
expected that God will send some special induce- 
ments to accommodate the whims of hardened 
sinners who will not hear the word of truth. The 
rich man, however, seems in a fair way to have 
an additional advocate on his side of the question, 
in the author of the Text Book. 

II. But while he is making his flings at the 
power of the truth, I will let him hurl one more 
missile. Having quoted Mr. Campbell on the 
converting power of the truth, he calls it the 
Xxvi'&i-alone system ; and, p. 363, he says ; " Camp- 



86 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

bellites teach that the truth or word alone is all 
that is necessary to the conversion of men." It is 
a little remarkable that the advocates of the modern 
doctrine of justification by faith alone become so 
attached to their pet word '' alone^'^ that they must 
tack it on to every agency, and have faith alone, 
Spirit alone, truth alone, word alone, grace alone, 
etc., and have each one work alone ^ though all are 
united in the work of converting the world. If 
they should ever get to heaven, I wonder if they 
will insist on being alone^ and affirm that they alone 
are saved ! 

But why does Mr. Ray seem to have such a spite 
at the truth as to want to strip it naked, and start 
it out into the world on its mission alone? We 
teach, as the apostles did, that the ''word of 
truth" — the gospel — "is the power of God unto 
salvation," and that "these are written that ye 
might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of 
God, and that believing ye might have life 
through his name." John xx:3i. We believe 
and practice accordingly, that persons believe and 
confess the truth concerning Jesus ; and we bap- 
tize them upon the belief and confession of the 
truth. Do Baptists require them to believe and 
confess a lie before they will baptize them? Is 
that the difference between Baptists and Chris- 
tians? If so, perhaps it will account for the 
performance of a weak-minded woman in Missouri 
who had been baptized upon the confession of the 



MISREPRESENTATIONS. 87 

truths that ''Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the 
hving God," and recognizing him as her only 
Savior. A silly Baptist preacher, visiting her w^hen 
she was in feeble health, persuaded her that there 
was no salvation out of the Baptist Church, and 
that if her ill health should result in death she 
would be lost. She thought she had an experience 
to tell, not included in the confession of the truth. 
So she attended the Baptist meeting, related her 
experience, and was baptized, and joined the Bap- 
tist Church. Her experience or confession was, in 
substance : That she saw a sheet let down from 
heaven, and heard a voice saying, '' arise and be 
baptized." The Baptist preacher received and 
baptized her on that confession. Every intelligent 
person who heard her confession knew that it was a 
lie. Still she was received and baptized upon the 
confession of a lie. I received these facts from 
reliable persons who were present and heard her 
confession. If Mr. Ray scorns the truth, and pre- 
fers that as Baptist usage, I envy not him or those 
who are misled by him. 

12. Referring to the power of the truth as above, 
Mr. Ray, p. 280, says: '' On this subject Camp- 
bellism is to-day what it was thirty years ago." If 
by Campbellism we understand what Mr. Ray and 
a host of other vindictive persecutors and defamers 
of Christianity have caricatured, it would prob- 
ably appear as a moving panorama, or metamor- 
phosis, constantly changing with the whims of its 



88 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

delineators and manipulators. But Mr. Ray has 
told us that he means the doctrine now taught by 
the preachers and members of the churches of 
Christ caUing themselves Christians. And, as we 
take the Scriptures just as they read, and just as 
they were written by the apostles, of course our 
teaching is just "what it was thirty years ago," 
and what it was eighteen hundred years ago. So 
Mr. Ray need not make it a subject of wonder 
that we do not change in our doctrine. Doctrines 
of men may change, and human creeds may change 
annually or quadrennially, but the apostles' doctrine 
never. So Mr. Ray need not go into hysterics be- 
cause we do not change w^ith the ever varying 
phases of sectarianism. 

13. Mr. Ray, p. 291, quotes: 

**A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master; if I 
then be a father, where is mine honor? And if I be a master, 
where is mj fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests 
that despise my name. And ye say wherein have we despised 
thy name? " . Mai. i : 6. 

He then asks: ''Do not Campbellites despise 
the name of Christ when they arrogate to them- 
selves that honor v/hich is due alone to himself?" 
He must have had his green goggles on when he 
wrote that. Peter, speaking of Christ, says : 
''There is none other name under heaven given 
among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 
iv: 12. And because we accept Christ as our only 
prophet, priest, and king, receive his inspired word 
as our only guide, believe on Christ, confess him 



MISREPRESENTATIONS . 89 

before men, are baptized in his name, follow him 
as taught by his apostles, and wear his name, calling 
ourselves Christians, as named in his word, and 
acknowledge the authority of no human leader, and 
absolutely refuse to wear the name that the enemies 
of Christ try to fix upon us, and that Mr. Ray has 
tried to rub in to make it stick, by repeating it over 
six hundred times in his Text Book, therefore Mr. 
Ray insinuates that we ''despise the name of 
Christ ! " The trouble with him is, he has tried, by 
falsehood, and insinuations, and mean tricks, to 
make the name Campbellite stick to us, and frets 
and rages because he can't make it stick. He re- 
minds us of boys standing by the road side, and 
throwing mud on the clothes of decent persons pass- 
ing, and swearing because it won't stick. 

But to return the compliment : " Do not the ^a^- 
tists despise the name of Christ" by abandoning 
the name Christian, given by divine authority, and 
adopting, in modern times, the human name Bap- 
tist, and by refusing to honor the name and author- 
ity of Christ in baptism, in bringing sinners to 
obedience, and '' when they arrogate to them- 
selves" the honor and power to bring sinners into 
Christ before they acknowledge the authority of 
Christ by yielding obedience to his command, or 
in making aliens believe they can be citizens with- 
out taking the required oath of allegiance? 

14. On page 365, Mr. Ray quotes again from 
MilK Ilarb. vol. 6, p. 351, in regard to introducing 



go TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

" a change in the whole course of religious instruc- 
tion as new and striking as was the Baconian phi- 
losophy," etc., and says: "If Mr. Campbell has 
changed 'the whole course of religioics instruction^^ 
then it follows that no part of his doctrine is held 
in common with the Baptists." 

Possibly he thinks some of his ignorant readers 
may be too stupid to discover the sophistry of that 
perversion. He knew that Mr. Campbell was 
speaking of the manner of teaching, and not of a 
change in doctrine^ as I have already shown, Chap, 
vi. No. 3, when speaking of the Baconian philoso- 
phy. And yet, without the fear of God before his 
eyes, or dread of the great white Throne, he un- 
blushingly perverts it to an admission of a change 
of doctrine! If ignorant Baptists can swallow 
such stuff, thev can possibly be hoodwinked into 
believing any thing Mr. Ray may hash up for them. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



buzzards' glory, 



As buzzards sail around, and scent from afar, 
before pouncing upon the carion, so the author of 
the Text Book seems to have sailed around through 
all the volumes of Mr. Campbell's writings, with ' 
an eye single to the carion, in the full assurance of 
hope, of convicting Mr. Campbell of contradicting 
himself in his teachings. Scenting, as he supposed, 
a few choice tit-bits of carion in the form of sup- 
posed contradictions V he nibbled at them with a 
gusto, and his depraved Laste not distinguishing be- 
tween genuine carion and pure meat, he strings a 
score of the precious morsels into a chain of " Link- 
ed sweetness long drawn out," and presents them 
to the delectation of the refined taste of his guests, 
as delicious viands ! 

A little handful of this kind of material he works 
up, and by twisting, and turning, and warping, and 
torturing, varying and extending, by suffix and pre- 
fix, by argumentation and reduplication, metamor- 
phosis and show of comparison, he succeeds in 
ringing twenty changes upon them. Some of these 
are no contradictions at all, but only appear so 
through the obliquity of his moral vision. And if 

91 



92 TEXT LOOK EXPOSED. 

some of them should turn out to b:^ contradictions, 
it will only show that Mr. Campbell did not stereo- 
type his errors^ as Baptists and other denominations 
who formulate their opinions or views, into doc- 
trines, articles of faith, creeds, etc., but that he had 
the manhood to revise and correct his teaching 
according to the Scripture, whenever he found 
himself in error, and come out of the fogs of 
sectarianism, as fast as the sunlight of the gospel 
dispelled the mists. 

Some of these I will notice : 

First, On p. 340, Mr. Ray says: *'Mr. Camp- 
bell makes hnmerston the converting act ^'" in one 
sentence, and in another " he teaches \kv2X disciples 
were buried with Christ in baptism^ not to get reli- 
gion^ but because they have already got it I'''' 

None but a prejudiced mind, seeking for contra- 
dictions, could make those expressions conflict. 
The ''converting act," refers to ''that act" of 
turning to God which follows faith and repentance, 
as already quoted several times. And any one can 
see that " get religion'^ is here used to designate 
that love or joy produced in the heart by faith in a 
loving Savior, which every true, penitent believer 
has before baptism. But that is nowhere in the 
Scriptures regarded as an evidence of pardon. 
And none but the ignorant so regard it. 

Second, To get '' Contradiction Second," p. 
340, Mr. Ray again summons ''Immersion as that act 
by which our state is changed," Chris. Sys.jp. 1^4, 



BUZZARDS^ GLORY. 93 

to do service for him in his dirty work, and harnesses 
it up by the side of '' We shall therefore develop 
more at length, justification and sanctification ; the 
former of which changes our state, and the latter 
not only our state, but our character." Camp, on 
Bap. p. 276. He then tries to set them to quarrel- 
ing. But they don't quarrel worth a cent. In the 
act of naturalization the state of a citizen is changed, 
that is, he is changed from an alien to a citizen, and 
in that act all alien sins are forgiven and he stands 
justified from all alien sins, and he enters the new 
government with a clean record, and who but a will- 
ful perverter would think of divorcing justification 
from the act that changes the state, and arraying 
them against each other. 

Third, Now comes the big one. To get '' Con- 
tradiction Third" he harnesses up these two 
nags to pull against each other, and for once finds 
a contradiction that seems to elate him exceedingly, 
and this choice bit of carion, no doubt, made a fat 
streak. But here they are : 

*^ I. He has commanded immersion for the remission of sins; 
and think jou that he will change his institution because of 
jour stubborn or intractable disposition? As well, as reasonably 
might JOU pray for loaves from heaven, or manna, because Israel 
eat it in the desert, as to praj for pardon while jou refuse the 
remission of jour sins bj immersion." Chris. Rest., p. 247." 

He sa3^s : "But Mr. Campbell contradicts the 
above by saying : " 

2. " The water of baptism then formally washes awaj our sins. 
Paul's sins Avere really ;pardo?ted ^when he believed, jet he had 
no solemn pledge of the fact, no formal acquittal, no formal 



94 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

purgation of his sins, until he washed them away in the water 
of baptism." Debate with McCalla, p. 135. 

The first of these is an old horse that we have met 
with before. But, to try to make him " balk," Mr. 
Ray has harnessed him on the wj^ongside! But what 
are you going to do with it? Simply this, and nothing 
more : The McCalla debate was in 1823, and that 
utterance about Paul being really pardoned when 
he believed, was made while Mr. Campbell was 
among the Baptists, and knew no better. But 
the "Christianity Restored" was published in 
1835, twelve years later, when Mr. Campbell had 
come out of the fog of sectarianism, and, under 
the sunlight of the Scriptures, had the courage and 
manliness to revise and correct his former teach- 
ing. But Mr. Ray would have him stereotype his 
former erroneous opinion, like the Baptists do, and 
stick to it. Or, as the man who said the horse 
was sixteen feet high, though he meant sixteen 
hands ^ and when corrected, replied : " If I said six- 
teen feet ril stick to it." But Mr. Ray worked the 
young horse in the lead, to try to make the state- 
ment of 1823 contradict a -previous statement of 
1835, though really twelve years later. I suppose 
he thought his ignorant readers would not discover 
the trick. The mysticism of Paul being justified 
when he believed, I will expose in another place, 
and prove by Paul himself that he was not justified 
till he v/as baptized. 

Fourth. Again he trots out this overworked nag, 



feU^ZARDS" GLORY. 95 

immersion, that act inseparably connected with 
remission, and works it with a gentle, good-natured 
one, where Mr. Campbell, speaking of good, kind, 
benevolent, devoted, and faithful persons, who had 
taken it for granted they had been baptized, is 
not disposed to see them ranked among heathen, 
and, in the excess of his kindness, says : 

" And while I would not lead the most excellent professor in 
any sect to disparage the least of all the commandments of 
Jesus, I would say to my immersed brother, as Paul said to his 
Jewish brother, who gloried in a system which he did not adorn : 
* Sir, will not his uncircumcision, or unbaptism, be counted to 
him for baptism? And will he not condemn you who, though 
having the literal and true baptism, yet dost transgress or neglect 
the statutes of your king? " Mill. Harb., (N. S.) vol. i, p. 565. 

To this Mr. Ray responds : 

<* In this Mr. Campbell talks in the language of the orthodox; 
in fact he goes so far as to say that the u?iba^tism of sofne will 
be counted to them for haftisml'''' 

Now, the reader will notice that Mr. Campbell 
does not say the unbaptism of some will be counted 
to them for baptism, as Mr. Ray charges him with 
teaching, but simply asks the question, will not his 
unbaptism be counted to him for baptism? That 
is, he just leaves them in the hands of God, and 
intimates that possibly God may overlook ignorance 
when it is not culpable or willful ignorance. That 
is as far as Mr. Campbell goes in that sentence, 
and as far as any man can go, with his eyes open, 
and the Scriptures as his guide. 

Fifth, '' Contradiction Fifth," p. 342, is 
much like the preceding. He says : *' Mr. Camp- 



9^ Text book exposed. 

bell informs us that the Master ' never asked, as 
he never expected, any one to feel like a Christian 
before he was immersed and began to live like a 
Christian.' " Chris. Rest., p. 249. '' But he con- 
tradicts this by saying : " 

** There is no occasion for making immersion on a profession 
of faith, absohitely essential to a Christian, though it may be 
greatly essential to his satisfaction and comfort. * * * \Ve 
have, in Paul's style, the imvard and outward Jews, and may we 
not have the inward and outward Christians? * * * My 
reasons for this opinion are various." Mill. Harb. (N. S.) vol. 
I, p, 506. 

Mr. Ray says : 

"We are taught in the above, first, that none can feel like a 
Christian before immersion ; and, second, that immersiojt is not 
necessary to a Christian; that %ve may have inward Christians 
without immersionl'''' 

The reader can see for himself that Mr. Ray 
flatly falsifies the language of Mr. Campbell. In 
the sentence quoted, Mr. Campbell does not teach 
that immersion is not necessary to a Christian. 
Yet Mr. Ray says he does. Besides, a contrast 
between inward Christians and outward practical 
Christians does not involve a contradiction. 

Sixth, To make out "Contradiction Sixth," 
p. 344, he trumps up again " this act of faith," and 
attemps to contradict it by a ^' reply to a con- 
scientious sister," in regard to " Christians in the 
Protestant sects," etc. It is almost identical with 
No. 4; and the contradiction is only the inference 
of a distorted imagination. 

Seventh, Mr. Ray quotes, p. 345 : 
•* Let me only add here, on this subject, baptism is for the 



i 



Buzzards' glory. 97 

church on earth, for the Gospel dispensation, and is not a door 
into heaven. It is not for the procuring the remission of any 
man's sins, on earth or in heaven ; it is an ordinance for the 
actual possession and the prescjit enjoyme7it of the remission 
which God bestows through ^ the blood of the everlasting insti- 
tution ' upon all that put themselves under the guidance of the 
Messiah." Mill. Harb., vol. 7, p. 62. 

He then says : 

**But again he declares that the Holy Spirit * calls nothing 
personal regeneration except the act of immersion.' All the 
sophistry of Campbellism can not harmonize the above state- 
ment. It is a positive contradiction." 

That statement would come nearer the truth if it 
read : 

"AH the sophistry and diabolism of the Text Book on Camp- 
bellism can not make the above statements contradict each 
other." 

He knew his readers would fail to see a contra- 
diction . So he kindly informed them that : ' ' It is a 
positive contradiction." Possibly he does not know 
the difference between ^' ^ei'sonal regeneration," 
in which a man gives his whole person to the Lord, 
and 5;^/r///^^/ regeneration. Or, is his trouble in the 
statement that immersion is not the procuring cause 
of remission, that being ascribed to '' the blood of 
the everlasting institution?" 

Eighth, To manufacture the Eighth ''Con- 
tradiction," p. 346, he quotes : 

'•The apostles baptized only those who gladly received the 
gospel, believed it, or became disciples of Christ." Debate with 
McCalla, p. 59. 

He says, Mr. Campbell contradicts this by say- 
ing : ''It was by baptism that the nations were to 
be discipled or made Christians ; for Disciple of 



98 Text book EXPOsiEt). 

Christ and Christian are synonymous terms.'' 
Mill. Harb. Vol. 5, p. 260. 

To try to make these contradict, Mr. Ray says : 

**In these, Mr. Campbell has baptism administered because 
thej were already disciples, and, also', to make them disciples!" 

Now the reader can see that Mr. Ray made that 
contradiction, and not Mr. Campbell. In the sen- . 
tence quoted, Mr. Campbell saj^s they baptized 
those who became disciples. But Mr. Ray, without 
the fear of truth before his e3^es, makes him say 
because they were already disciples. 

Ninth, To make " Contradiction Ninth," Mr. 
Ray calls to the witness-stand one of his previous 
false witnesses. He says, p. 346, Mr. Campbell 
affirms that '' all the power of the Holy Spirit which 
can operate upon the human mind is spent." Mill. 
Harb. Vol, 2, p. 295. I have shown. Chap, vii : 
No. 10, that Mr. Campbell does not affirm thatprop- 
osition, but that Mr. Ray falsifies Mr. Campbell's 
language. Then, to contradict his own suborned 
false witness, Mr. Ray says : 

*• Again, he declares: 'That saving faith is wrought in the 
heart by the Holy Spirit, and that no man can believe to the 
saving of his soul but by the Holy Spirit.' " 

Now, any one can see that this does not affirm ft 
that faith is wrought in the heart without the aid of 
the word of truth, and that the only contradiction 
in No. 9 is turned out fresh from Mr. Ray's whole- 
sale manufactory of such furniture. 

Tenth, As '' Contradiction Tenth," Mr Ray 
quotes : ^' The truth alone is all that is necessary to 



BUZZARDS^ GLORY. " 99 

the conversion of men." Mill. Harb. Vol. 2, p. 
397. And then : 

'' I would not, sir, value, at the price of a single mill, the reli- 
gicn of any man, as respects the grand affairs of eternal life, 
whose religion is not begun, carried on, and completed by the 
personal agency of the Holy Spirit." Debate with Rice, p. 616. 

I have already exposed this base attempt to 
divorce the Spirit from the tiTith, in Chap, vii : No. 
II. But, to expo 36 the trick by which Mr. Ray 
makes his witness tear false testimony, I will in- 
troduce here the paragraph from which this garbeled 
extract, about ''The truth alone" is wrested, and 
let the witness tell the whole truth. Mr. Campbell 
writes : 

''There is something in the New Testament called iJie trutJi^ 
the ligJit^ to give it emphasis and to distinguish it from all other 
truth. 'You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you 
free.' This is a eulogy on the truth pronounced by Hiin who 
called himself ' the Truth and the Life.' There are many truths 
which can not convert men, for they have no moral power; but 
there is the truth which has all moral power, and that is the truth 
which makes men free. 'Sanctify them through thy truth, thy 
word is truth,' said the Savior. All the moral power of God or 
man is exhibited in the truth which they propose. Therefore, 
we may say that if the light or the truth contain all the moral 
power of God, then the truth alone is all that is necessary to the 
conversion of men, for we have before agreed and proved that 
the converting power is inoral power." 

The reader can now see how the moral or 
hnmoral power of the Text Book operates by 
taking a detached clause from the language of a 
witness, to make it bear false testimony. But when 
Text Book morals become the morals of com- 
munity, there may be need of another '' confusion 
of tongues." 



loo TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

Eleventh, To make ''Contradiction Elev- 
enth, "Mr. Ray quotes again : " You talk of faith 
wrought in the heart ^^"^ ete. This perversion I 
exposed in Chap, iii : No. 15. To try to make a 
contradiction he quotes : 

** From the answer above given to query first, I am authorized 
to say that saving faith is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, 
and that no man can believe to the saving of his soul but by the 
Holy Spirit." Chrs. Bap., p. 353. 

As Mr. Ray has tampered with this witness also, 
to make it falsify, I will give the language of Mr. 
Campbell, in its connection, from which it is 
wrested. Mr. Campbell, in answering a question, 
says : 

**To separate and distinguish the Spirit from its owrn word is 
the radix of unhallowed speculation. What the gospel, written 
or spoken, does in regenerating or purifying the heart, the 
Spirit of God does; and what the Spirit of God does, the gos- 
pel, spoken or written, does. Those who resist the gospel 
proclamation, resist the Spirit of God; and those who resist 
the Spirit of God, resist and reject the gospel proclamation. 

* -x- -x- From the answer above given to query first, I am 
authorized to say that saving faith is wrought in the heart by 
the Holy Spirit, and that no man can believe to the saving of 
his soul but by the Holy Spirit." 

So this contradiction is returned to the factory. 
Twelfth, As a framework on which to build 
'^ Contradiction Twelfth," he quotes : 

** Observe the intimate and copulative connection between 

* water and the Spirit.' As the child may be born ivitJiout life, 
so man may be born of ivater ivithoui being born of the Spirit; 
but he can not be born of the Spirit without or before the water, 
for the Lord puts water before Spirit, and both after ' man.' 
He may be quickened or begotten of the Spirit, but without 



BUZZARDS GLORY. lOI 

immersion he can not be born again." Mill. Harb., v. 5, p. 260. 

And, as a checkmate : 

*^We are not baptized because of our fleshly descent from 
members of any church, but because * born from above — born 
of the Spirit.' " Camp, on Bap., p. 390. 

Mr. Ray then says : 

"Here Mr. Camipbell positively affirms that without immersion 
a man can not be bor7i again; and, also, that we are baptized 
because we are already born of the Spirit. What consistency!" 

It is barely possible that Mr. Ray thought he 
saw a contradiction there, and we cheerfully con- 
cede to him '' the benefit of the doubt." But to an 
intelligent reader there is no contradiction at all, 
when he considers that Mr. Campbell uses the 
term born in the sense of begotten^ when predicated 
of God, or the Holy Spirit, or, as representing the 
faternal relation, and in the sense of born or 
brought forth when applied to immersion, and that 
the order of these two facts are never reversed in 
nature or in grace. 

Thirteenth, Mr. Ray thinks he finds a flat '' Con- 
tradiction " Thirteenth in these tv^^o sentences : 

" I. Being born of water and of the Spirit are two distinct 
things, and not the one an emblem of the other." McCalla 
Debate, p. 345. 

2. Being born again and being immersed are the same 
thing." Chris. Sys., p. 200. 

With the distinction between born and begotten^ 
as above, there is perfect harmony between these, 
remembering that begotten or born of God means 
to ''believe that Jesus is the Christ." i John v:i. 
And that born of water ^ according to commen- 



I02 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

tators generally, means baptism ^ and that the first 
fact terminates upon the spirit of the man in pro- 
ducing faith, the other upon his body^ and in this 
Scriptural order. 

Fourteenth, He makes '' Contradiction Four- 
teenth " from these: 

'' I. In the other case (Titus iii : 5,) it has alUision to baptism, 
as the washing of an infant born. It is not, in this case, the 
new birth, but the washing of the new birth." Mill. Harb., 
(4th S.) vol. 4, p. 706. 

2. For if immersion be equivalent to regeneration, and 
regeneration be of the same import with being born again, then 
being born again and being immersed are the same thing, for 
this plain reason : that things which are equal to the same 
thing are equal to one another.'' Chris. Sjs., p. 200. 

Now, put on your magnifying glasses, and detect 
a contradiction, if there is one. If at all, it must 
be in the first quotation, and in the words, "It is 
not, in this case, the new birth, but the washing 
of the new birth." But remember that it is 
Paul, and not Mr. Campbell, that makes it '''the 
washing of the new birth ^^ or bath of the new 
birth, and Mr. Campbell simply refers to the fact 
that it is so expressed in this case. 

Fifteenth. For "Contradiction Fifteenth" 
he quotes : 

*^ I. Persons are begotten bj the Spirit of God, impregnated 
by the word, and born of the water." Chris. Sjs., p. 201. 

2. Whether we shall read, ^ he that believeth Jesus is the 
Christ, is born of God," or is begotten of God, must depend 
upon the taste and discrimination of the translator, as the word 
is the same in the original text." Camp. & Rice Debate, p. 457. 

Mr. Ray says : 



BUZZARDS GLORY. IO3 

*^ In the first of these texts, Mr. Campbell makes begotten of 
God and horn of God to mean quite different things; but in 
the second thej both mean the same thing! Who will under- 
take, with these facts before him, to harmonize Mr. Cajnpbell 
with himself.? '' 

I should say who will be so silly as to under- 
take to harmonize things between which there is 
no conflict! The statement of Mr. Ray that ''in 
the second they both mean the same thing!" is 
absolutely false. And, as he claims to be a scholar, 
he ought to have known it. Whether we read 
" is dorn of God," or " is begotten of God," does 
depend upon the taste of the translator. But that 
does not make them " 7nean the same thing," as 
even the plain English reader may know by reading 
the whole verse : i' Whosoever believeth that 
Jesus is the Christ is born of God ; and every one 
^hat loveth him that begat loveth him also that is be- 
gotten of him." I John v : i. There the " taste of 
the translator gives us " is born^^ in the first clause, 
and " ts begotten ^^ in the last clause of the same 
verse, and yet any one can see that they mean the 
same thing in both places, '' the taste of the trans- 
lator" to the contrary notwithstanding. In i Pet. 
i : 23, it is translated bor^z^ while in i Cor. iv : 15, 
it is rendered begotten. In Matt, ii : 2, we read, 
''Where is he that is bor7i king of the Jews?" 
While in the preceding chapter we read, "Abraham 
3(?^^/ Isaac," etc. From these and many other 
occurrences of the same word, we may recognize 
the rule for understanding the meaning, whether 



I04 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

the ''taste of the translator" renders it so in the 
EngHsh or not, and that is, whenever the fact is 
predicated of the mascuHne gender, or refers to 
the paternal relation, it should be understood in the 
sense of begotten^ in all other cases born will 
express it, either as referring to the maternal rela- 
tion, or as including both. 

Sixteenth, Mr. Ray's ingenuity is taxed to work 
out "Contradiction Sixteenth." He quotes: 

*'We, indeed, receive to our communion persons of other 
denominations, who will take upon them the responsibility of 
their participating with us. We do, indeed, in our affection and 
in our practice, receive all Christians, all who give evidence of 
their faith in the Messiah, and of their attachment to his per- 
son, character, and will ." C^imp. & Rice Debate, p. 785. 

He next quotes : 

**We have 710 open communion with us, and they in England 
have. That principle is not at all recognized among us. In 
England there are large communities of free-communion Baptists 
who admit Pedo-baptists as freely as they do the baptized. We 
have no such custom among us." Camp. & Rice Debate, p. 810. 

To make these seem to contradict each other, 
Mr. Ray says : 

*^*When Mr. Campbell desired, in his debate with Rice, to 
court favor with Pedo-baptists, he declared that, ^ We indeed, 

RECEIVE TO OUR COMMUNION PERSONS OF OTHER DENOMINA- 
TIONS ; ' but being hard pressed by Mr. Rice with his own former 
writings, he now boldly declares that, ^ We have no open com- 
munion WITH us !' It is a well known fact that the Campbellites 
have generally followed the most popular, the open communion 
side, of Mr. Campbell's two-sided doctrine on the communion 
question." 

Now the honest reader can see that in the first 
quotatiori Mr, Campbell does not say what Mr. Ray 



buzzards' glory. 105 

charges him with in the sentence he has placed in 
capitals, but that it v/as admitting others, etc., 
" Who will take u^on them the responsibility of 
their participating with us.'" That is not o^e^i 
commtmion^ as Mr. Ray labels it, but only shifting 
the responsibility. Whether right or wrong is not 
the question before us. 

Mr. Ray's second quotation is garbeled to suit 
the occasion. Here is the passage in its connection : 

^*I repeat it, also, that there k not now, and certainly there 
was not when that was written, any thing amongst us, strictly 
and literally construed, like that which Mr. Jones had in his eye 
in England, when that was strictly and literally construed. We 
have 710 o^en coin7nunion with us, and they in England have. 
That principle is not at all recognized among us. In England 
there are large communities of free communion Baptists, who 
admit Pedo-baptists as freely as they do the baptized. We have 
no such custom among us." Camp. & Rice Debate, p. 810. 

Then, to make this one stick, and to try to rub it 
in, Mr. Ray says : 

" W^e will here insert a quotation with which Mr. Rice pressed 
Mr. Campbell into the above contradiction. Here it is, in answer 
to the question of Mr. Jones, of England : ^ Your third question 
is: ' Do afiy of yoiii^ chu7'che9> adinit U7ihaj>tized j)erso7is to com- 
77111711071 ; a practice that is becoming very prevalent in this 
country? ' Not one as far as known to me. I am at a loss to 
understand on what principle — by what law, precedent, or 
license any congregation founded upon the apostles and proph- 
ets, Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone, could dispense 
with the practice of the primitive church — with the command- 
ment of the Lord and the authority of his apostles.' " Camp. & 
Rice Debate, p. 790, and Mill. Harb., Vol. 6, p. 18. 

But Mr. Ray suppresses the following clause 
which immediately succeeds the above : 

"Does not this look like making void the word or command- 



I06 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

ment of God bj human tradition? I know not how I could 
exhort one professor to arise and be baptized, as Ananias com- 
manded Saul, and at the same time receive another into the 
congregation without it." 

This shows that, in the third quotation, Mr. 
Campbell was speaking of receiving j^ersons " into 
the congregation " -without baptism. In the first, 
he referred to a practice of allowing members of 
other churches to take the res^07isibility of -par- 
ticif at ing with them. Yet Mr. Ray says: "All the 
ingenuity of the Bethany School can not harmon- 
ize these statements." I think the reader will easily 
see that it took the ingenuity of Satan to make 
them conflict. 

Seventeenth. To work up material for ''Con- 
tradiction Seventeen," Mr. Ray quotes Mr. 
Campbell as saying : 

**That we are not on this topic, on which so much has been 
spoken, schismatical, is proved from the fact, that we never did 
refuse communion with any good man, nor with any fchurch] 
among the Baptists because of their theories or preachings on 
this subject, nor do we now." Mill. Harb., N. S., Vol. i : p. 199. 

Mr. Ray leaves out the word church where I have 
inserted it in brackets. He says: ''This is the 
avowal of of en or mixed communion. The com- 
munion with 'any good man.'" But the reader 
can see that it does not say that, till drawn through 
the smut mill, and the word church rubbed out. 
Mr. Campbell spoke of communion with any good 
man or church among the Baptists, And that is 
not o-pen communion, or mixed communion. 



BUZZARDS GLORY. IO7 

Mr. Ray tries to make this lock horns with the 
following : 

^*We do not recollect that we have ever argued out the mer- 
its of this 'free and open communion system.' But one 
remark we must offer in passing, that we must regard it as one 
of the weakest and most vulnerable causes ever plead ; and that 
the 'great' Mr. Hall, as he is called, has, in his defense of the 
practice, made it appear worse than before. In attempting to 
make it reasonable, he has only proved how unreasonable and 
unscriptural it is. ' Mill. Harb. Vol. ii : p. 393." 

The reader can see that these witnesses did not 
contradict each other till Mr. Ray tampered with 
the first and made it bear false witness. And yet, 
as if to show the animus of this smutting operation, 
Mr. Ray says : 

" It is likely that Mr. Campbell was moved in his desire to 
commune wdth Baptists, by the same motive that first caused him 
to adopt the Baptist name^ w^hich was ' expediency ' and the 
desire for favor." 

That willful and unmitigated falsehood was nailed 
to the counter in Chap, iii : Nos. 2 and 6, where I 
showed that it was not " the Baptist nmne'' that 
he adopted, but the selecting a name for 2^ periodi- 
cal^ the ' Christian Baptist,'' But the malignant 
depths of depravity, in this repetition of the slan- 
der, appear ^ in that he dextrously touches his 
barbed arrow with additional poison before hurling 
it again. On page 40, he says : ''As Mr. Camp- 
bell once did the name Baptist." But, on p. 352, 
it assumes the form : '' By the same motive that first 
caused him to adopt the Baptist name." Compare 
these two sentences, and notice that '^ once dS.di^' 
in the first, refers to the time when Mr. Campbell, 



I08 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

in 1823, selected the name ior his -periodical^ while 
the '^ first caused him," of the second, reaches 
back to his becoming a Baptist some ten years pre- 
vious. Again, in the first, the '' n?im.Q Baptist ^^ 
refers to a periodical^ while '' the Baptist name^^^ 
is aimed at persons. Thus, in the flight of 312 
pages, his arrow has received two additional charges 
of f o'son. 

i^.ga=n, the reader wall notice that in the first quo- 
tation, Mr. Campbell spoke of refusing to commune 
with men or churches " among the Baptists, because 
of their theories or preachings on this subject," 
not on account of their non-baptism, for they were 
"among the Baptists" and presumed to be 
baptized. 

Eighteenth, To roll out full grown "Contra- 
diction Eighteenth, Mr. Ray says : 

** Mr Campbell, speaking of his own societies, said: * But as 
these communities possess the oracles of God, are under the 
laws and institutions of the king, and, therefore, enjoy the bless- 
ings of the present salvation, they are, in the records of the 
kingdom, regarded as the onlj constitutional citizens o± the king- 
dom of heaven ; and to them exclusively belongs all the ^present 
salvation,'' " Chris. Sys., p. 175. 

But this false witness, I impeached-in Chap, iii : 
No. 30, by showing that Mr. Campbell was speak- 
ing of '' The communities collected and set in order 
by the apostles^^^ and not of ^^ his own Societies^^^ 
as Mr. Ray forced the witness to testify. 

He then sets over against his false witness, the 
following from Mr. Campbell, speaking of various 
Pedo-baptist societies : 



BUZZARDS GLORY. IO9 

"Among them all, we thank the grace of God that there are 
manj who believe in, and love the Savior, and that though we 
may not have Christian churches, we have many Christians." 
Camp, on Bapt., p. 16. 

Mr. Ray says : 

*' In the first of these texts Mr. Campbell declares of the soci- 
eties of the reformation that to them exclusively belongs all 
THE PRESENT SALVATION. But in the sccond he deliberately 
informs us that there are many Chp^istians among all the Pedo- 
baptist churches, including Rome herself! " 

I have already shown that the first of these state- 
ments is as false as the devil could desire, and 
possibly false enough for Text Book morals, and 
no contradiction exists there. 

Nineteenth, To make '' Contradiction Nine- 
teenth," Mr. Ray says : 

" Mr. Campbell affirms * that if there be any truth in history, w^e 
have found a succession of witnesses for the ancient faith against 
Rome, from the day of the first schism till the present hour.' 
Camp. & Purcell Debate, p. 68. But, in another place, speak- 
ing of the reformation, he said: *We can not think that the 
cause which we plead was plead either by him (Stone) or any one 
else twenty years ago/ " Mill. Harb., vol. 2, p. 390. 

In the first of these Mr. Campbell states as his 
belief, that in all ages of the world there have 
been Christians accepting the authority of the 
Scriptm'es against the authority of Rome. Mr. 
Ray does not deny this. In the second he states 
his opinion that twenty years ago, that is, in 1804, 
there were none pleading the cause they were then 
pleading in 1824. That is, boldly pleading and 
appealing to all denominations and Christians in all 
denominations to come out and take the Scriptures 
alone as their only guide, abandoning all human 



110 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

creeds as bonds of union, and dropping all secta 
rian names, and be Christians — nothing more, 
nothing less. 

Now, Mr. Ray did not show that there were those 
in 1804 thus pleading ; and until he does he can not 
make these statements contradict each other. But 
then they suit him just as well. 

Twentieth, In bringing up the rear with ''Con- 
tradiction Twentieth," Mr. Ray testifies thus : 

<*In his debate Avith McCalla Mr. Campbell affirmed that 
' from the apostolic age to the present time the sentiments of 
Baptists, and their practice of baptism, have had a continued 
chain of advocates, and public monuments of their existence in 
every century can be produced.' Debate with McCalla, p. 378. 
But he contradicts this thus: * The whole [Baptist] scheme is 
wrong, because it is not the scheme of Heaven. They borrowed 
it from the Protestants, and they borrowed it from the Mother 
of Harlots, and she obtained it from the Red Dragon.' Mill. 
Harb., vol. i, p. 60. In the first of these texts Mr. Camp- 
bell traces the Baptists in one unbroken chain of successt07i up 
to the apostolic age ; but in the second he traces them through 
Rome to the Red Dragon! " 

There now ! Is not that a broadside to close 
with! Shall we surrender, or *'hold the fort?" 
Just look at the testimony, and then at the wresting 
and pei^version of the testimony. Mr. Ray breaks 
the jaw of the first witness, and dislocates that of 
the second, because they testify not to suit him. 
In other words, Mr. Ray, as any one can see, 
absolutely falsifies the statements of his own 
witnesses, with their language right before his 
eyes. Mr. Ray says Mr. Campbell traces Z/^^' Bap- 
tists in one unbroken chain, etc. But Mr. Camp- 



BU22ARDS* GLORY. Ill 

bell did not say the Baftists^ but the sentiments 
and the practice of baptisin of Baptists. In the 
second Mr. Ray says he traces the^n through Rome, 
etc. , But Mr. Campbell is not tracing the^n^ but 
their scheme^ as borrowed from Protestants and 
existing in 1823. 

We have now seen that in all the twenty contra- 
dictions, arrayed in solid and formidable phalanx, 
there is really but 6>//^ contradiction, and that is where 
Mr. Campbell expressed an opinion while he was 
a Baptist, and after he came out of the mist of 
sectarianism into the clear sunlight of the gospel, 
he expressed a different and more Scriptural 
opinion. K change^ or correction, not contradiction. 

Mr. Ray closes this subject with the following 
specimen of Ray logic : 

**Any system which contradicts itself is false : 

The sj'stein of Mr. Campbell contradicts itself; 
Therefore, the Campbellite system is false." 

But I have shown that the minor premise of his 
S}dlogism is false in every particular ; therefore, the 
conclusion must be false. 

I will now substitute the value of the unknown 
quantity, in the second and third terms, and see 
how it reads. '' Carripbellite System " would have 
been an unknown factor in the apostolic age. Mr. 
Campbell's system w^as to take the teaching of the 
apostles as the only authoritative guide in faith and 
practice, and the apostles' doctrine is the system of 
the people whom Mr. Ray calls Campbellites, and 
Mr. Ray has told us that they are the people he 



11^ TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

represents by that name, and their doctrine the sys- 
tem he designates as Campbellism, so we are 
prepared to substitute the unknown quantity. Mr. 
Ray's syllogism will then read : 

Any system which contradicts itself is false: 

The system of apostlic teaching contradicts itself; 
Therefore, the sj^stem of the apostles' doctrine is false. 

Mr. Ray introduced this chapter on contradic- 
tions with the proverb : " The legs of the lame are 
not equal," but, as he has failed to cripple any of 
the legs to make them lame, he is permitted to 
reserve his proverb for home consumption. But 
then, what is to become of the poor buzzards that 
he had invited to his rich banquet of carion, since 
it turns out to be a false alarm, and no carion there? 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. 

Mr. Ray starts off on this subject, p. 44, with 
this proposition: ''The Campbellites teach 

THAT THE KINGDOM OF ChRIST WAS SET UP BY THE 
APOSTLES ON THE DAY OF PeNTECOST." Hc further 

says : 

*^ But it will be found that this error of the Campbellites is the 
mother of a whole brood of errors, which are hurtful to men and 
dishonoring to God.'" 

As this is a sweeping assertion, I shall take some 
pains to develop the setting up of the kingdom, 
from a Scriptural stand-point (not a Baptist or 
Campbellite stand-point), when it will appear that 
the ''whole brood of errors" are in the Baptist 
camp, and claim Baptist paternity, as fledglings of 

the Baptist error, and if they are a brood of vipers, 
they may possibly sting their parents. 

He makes Mr. Campbell the scape goat of the 
Pentecostian beginning of the kingdom, as a com- 
pleted reality into which men were invited, and 
then, with the impudence of Satan, says : 

"The Campbellites are perfectly agreed on this point; and all 
teach that the apostles set up the kingdom on the first Pentecost 
after the resurrection of Christ. Thej tamely take the bare state- 
ment of Mr. Campbell as satisfactory proof that thej are right 
on this point in the reformation." 

113 



IT4 Text book expOsei). 

There now! I wonder if he did not ''take the 
bare statement of his Prime Monitor as satisfactory 
proof " that this base slander is true? 

I shall first make an induction of Scriptural 
references sufficient to locate the time of the setting up 
of. the kingdom, and then answer some of Mr. 
Ray's objections. 

There are several theories on the kingdom ques- 
tion. Pedo-baptists get infant citizenship by loca- 
ting it in Abraham. Adventists dethrone Christ, 
by placing it still in the future. Baptists, accord- 
ing to Mr. Ray, thrust aside Pentecostian responsi- 
bilities by plunging into the mists of the twilight 
period and claiming an ante-crucifixion kingdom. 
But theories aside: ''What has God spoken?" 
How readest thou ? 

Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream and 
explains the parts of the image, of gold, silver, 
brass, iron, as representing four monarchies that 
should rule upon the earth in succession. These 
are, the Assyrian, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian, 
and the Roman empires. The stone that smote the 
image on the feet represents the kingdom which 
the God of heaven should set up. Daniel then 
says : 

'^And in the davs of these kinors shall the God of heaven set 
up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed ; and the kingdom 
shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and 
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." Dan. 
ii: 44. 

Here is where the Adventists switch off the 



THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. 11^ 

track. They claim that ''these kings" refer to 
kings or kingdoms represented by the toes^ and 
yet future. It will be noticed that king and king- 
dom are used interchangeably in this connection, 
and that the toes are not called kingdoms, nor is 
there a hint that they represent kingdoms. Only 
four kings or kingdoms had been named, — the 
four universal empires above named, — and any 
school boy could see that they constitute the ante- 
cedent to ''these kings." The image represents 
the embodiment of the spirit of universal em :)ira 
in chronological order, or human government based 
upon the principle that " might gives right." 
Then the kingdom must be set up during the exist- 
ence of universal empii^e. And as it smote the image 
on the feet^ not the toes^ that blow must be given 
in the latter days of the Roman empire, and before 
it broke up into European kingdoms. This occurred 
when Constantine made Christianity the religion of 
the empire. 

I will now refer to passages of Scripture in chro- 
nological order, and we shall see that those ante- 
cedent to the setting up of the kingdom all look 
forward, and those subsequent, all look back. I 
will then arrange them in a diagram, as guide- 
boards, and with a glance of the eye we can see at 
what point they cease pointing forward, and com- 
mence pointing back. As kingdom and church 
are usually connected and used interchangeably, I 
shall carry them along together : 

I. " I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, 



Il6 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth ; and he shall 
speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it si: all 
come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken to my words 
which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." 
Deut. xviii : i8, 19. 

That this refers to Jesus, the King of the Store 
Kingdom, is evident from Acts iii : 22, 23, and Acts 
vii : 37, where Peter and Stephen both quote it as 
applying to Jesus. It was certainly future when 
Moses uttered that prophecy in b. c. 145 i. 

2. ^'Therefore tlius saith the Lord God, behold, I lay in Zion 
for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, 
a sure foundation ; he that believeth shall not make haste." Isa. 
xxviii : 16. 

This refers to the laying' of the foundation^ and 
was then future. 

3. *' In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up 
a kingdom," etc Dan. ii : 44, 

In this text, previously quoted, shall set ttf is 
unmistakably future. 

4. ** Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them 
upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest; 
and speak unto him, saying: Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, 
saying, 'Behold the man whose name is the Branch; and he 
shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of 
the Lord : even he shall build the temple of the Lord ; and he 
shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne ; and 
he shall be a priest upon his throne.' " Zach. vi:ii-i3. 

I quote this to show that he was to '' be a priest 
upon his throne," or king and priest at the same 
time. 

5. **Upon this rock [the rock] I will build my church ; and 
the gates of hell \Jiades\ shall not prevail against it [it, the 
rock]. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of 
heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound 



THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. II7 

in heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be 
loosed in heaven." Matt, xvi : 18, 19. 

This shows that kingdom and church here mean 
about the same thing, and that the building of the 
church was then future, and the laying of the 
foundation still future, for the next verse says : 
''Then charged he his disciples that they should 
tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ." 

6. *'But this he spake of the Spirit, which thej that believe 
on him should receive; for the Holj Spirit was not yet given, 
because that Jesus was not yet glorified." John vii : 39. 

This still points future, for the King is not yet 
glorified. 

7. '* And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying. All power 
[authority] is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, 
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of 
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Matt, 
xxviii : 18, 19. 

This was after the resurrection, and Luke, refer- 
ring to the same commission, tells us that Jesus 
informed them that they v/ere not ready to com- 
mence yet, but must wait for power from on high. 
Luke xxiv : 49. So it is still future. 

8. ^^Then opened he their understanding, that they might un- 
derstand the Scriptures, and said unto them, ^ Thus it is written ^ 
and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead 
the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should 
be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jeru- 
salem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And behpld I 
send the promise of my Father upon you ; but tarry ye in the 
city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on 
high.' " Luke xxiv: 45-49. 

When his kingdom is set up remission will be in 
his name, that being an act of executive clemency, 



Il8 • TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

of the ruling monarch. But this could not be till 
after his resurrection, and now they are still further 
restrained till the power comes from on high. So 
it is still future. 

9. "Wiien thej therefore were come together, they asked 
him, saying, ' Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the king- 
dom to Israel ? And he said unto them, ' It is not for you to 
know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his 
own power [authority]. But ye shall receive power, after that 
the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses 
imto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, 
and unto the uttermost part of the earth.' " Acts i: 6-8. 

Here, just before the ascension, the apostles did 
not know the kingdom was set up, and they are still 
restrained, and waiting for the -poiver^ and that 
power not to come till the Holy Spirit is come. 
And he had told them that the Holy Spirit could 
not come till he went away, and then he would send 
him to them. John xv : 26 and xvi : 7. That 
throws it forward. till after the ascension. 

10. ** Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly 
that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, 
both Lord and Christ." Acts ii : 36. 

The apostles had now waited for the Spirit as 
the}^ were directed, and it had come, and they were 
all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke as the 
Spirit gave them utterance. And among the utter- 
ances of the Holy Spirit, on that occasion, was the 
startling fact, fresh from the archives of Heaven, 
that God had made that same Jesus, the crucified 
One, both Lord and Christ. " The Christ," means 
the prophet, the priest, the king, and Lord means 



THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. II9 

ruler. An event had taken place in heaven since 
the ascension, in which God had made him all that ; 
and it is now announced on earth for the first time, 
and that day, accoirding to appointment, all 
restraints being removed, the apostles announced 
remission of sins in his name, for all nations, begin- 
ning at Jerusalem. Terms of citizenship are now 
made known, and three thousand comply with them. 
Now the Priest is on the throne and commences to 
build the temple of the Lord. 

Now it is no longer future, but a present reality. 
Scoffers may sneer at the glorification that day 
announced from heaven, being called a coronation^ 
but I envy them not. 

11. *'For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revolved, 
that he might be Lord both of the dead and Hving." Rom. 
xiv: 9. 

Here the death and resurrection of, Christ were 
antecedent to his being Lord of dead and living, 
and therefore antecedent to his being King of the 
new kingdom. 

12. ^ ^According to the working of his mighty power, which 
he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and 
set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above 
all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and 
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in 
that which is to come ; and hath put all things under his feet, 
and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which 
is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." Eph. 
i: 19-23. 

If that is not a coronation, you may call it what 
you please. It is no \or\g^r ftiUire^ but referred 
to as a past event, the culmination of a series of 



I20 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

grand displays of the mighty energy of God. 
Christ raised from the dead — seated on high — 
in heavenly places — at the right hand of God — 
^<5^z;^ principality [government] — all principality 
— not only above ^ but far above — and all power 
[authority], and all strength, and all dominion 
[lordship], emperors, kings, and monarchs, all 
sink in comparison. All things put under him, 
and his name above, far above every name in this 
age or the coming age ; head over all to the church, 
his body — and made all this smce the resurrec- 
tion. Can we trust him? 

13. **And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled 
himself, and became obedient unto death, \u7itil death] even 
the death of the cross ; wherefore God also hath highly exalted 
him, and given him a name which is above every name ; that at 
the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, 
and things in earth, and things under the earth ; and that every 
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of 
God the Father." Phil, ii : 8-11. 

Here again it is referred to as a past event, and 
that the exaltation followed the humiliation, and the 
name above every name entitles him to the homage 
of all in heaven and earth, and that every tongue 
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, In his 
humiliation he is obedient until death, then, in his 
exaltation, he demands the obedience of others to 
his authority. 

14. ''Who hath delivered us from the power [authority] of 
darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear 
Son; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the 
forgiveness of sins." Col. i:i3, 14. 

Here the Colossians were in the kingdom when 



THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. 121 

Paul wrote that letter, and enjoyed " forgiveness of 
sins through his bloody''' which could not have been 
enjoyed before the blood was shed, as without the 
shedding of blood there is no remission. 

15. ^' Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is 
passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast 
our profession [confession]. For we have not a High Priest 
which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; 
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we 
may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.'' 
Heb. iv: 14-16. 

Here we have a throne of grace, since Jesus has 
-passed into the heavens a great High Priest, as the 
high priest passed through the veil in the taberna- 
cle, and if our Priest is not on the throne, we have 
no throne of grace, but only a throne of justice. 
This also shows that Christ is King and Priest at the 
same time, as I have shown in No. 4, he was to be 
" a -priest on his throne.^^ 

16. **I John, who also am your brother and companion in 
tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ." 
Rev. i 19. 

This shows that John was in the kingdom in the 
year ninety-six, when he wrote that book. 

I will now Introduce the diagram of guide-boards, 
as before intimated : 



122 



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THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. 1 23 

In the preceding diagram it will be noticed that 
the indices antecedent to Pentecost all point signi- 
ficantly to the descending crown, and the rising 
temple, it being first known on that day, that the 
crown had been placed on the High Priest, who was 
to bitild the tem-ple of the Lord^ and hear the glory ^ 
and sit and rule u-poii his throne^ and be a -priest 
upon his throne, Zech. vi : 13. All the indices 
subsequent to Pentecost, point back towards the 
same event, as an existing fact. 

Surely the w^ay is so plain that none need err 
therein, or stop short and camp in the wilderness, 
in the mists of twilight. 

With the eye on the guide-boards, the reader can 
now look into Mr. Ray's twilight camp and take 
some bearings : 

a, Mr. Ray says, p. 67 : 

^ 'After he had called the twelve, and had commenced to 
deliver the laws of the church, Jesus could with propriety say, 
'x\nd upon this rock I will build my church ; and the gates of 
hell shall not prevail against it.' The kingdom had the found- 
ation laid, and was in process of erection; but now Jesus 
intends to establish his church as the executive of that kingdom 
to use the keys in binding and loosing on earth." 

That may do for a twilight ray. But we wall 
turn the sunlight upon it and see the mists melt 
away. 

Mr. Ray tells us the foundation was already laid. 
We inquire, then, what is the foundation? and, 
what is meant by laying it ? 

Paul says : "Other foundation can no man lay 



124 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." i Cor. 
iii : II. That is what Peter had just confessed in 
the language : '" Thou art the Christ, the Son of the 
living God." Matt, xvi : i6. That is the founda- 
tion. But how laid? '^As a wise master-builder 
[architect], I have laid the foundation, and another 
buildeth thereon." i Cor. iii : lo. This he spoke 
of planting and building the church at Corinth. 
Now turn to Acts xviii : 5, and we read : "Paul was 
pressed in spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus 
was the Christ." That is what Paul means by 
laying the foundation, announcing that '-'Jesus is 
the Christy And as facts connected with that 
announcement, Paul says to these same Corinthi- 
ans : . ' 

<* For I delivered unto jou first of all, that which I also received, 
how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures ; 
and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day 
according to the Scriptures." i Cor. xv: 3, 4. 

Paul could not have laid that foundation before 
the facts had transpired. 

Now return to Jesus and Peter, and the conver- 
sation about the rock, and church, and kingdom, is 
closed thus : '' Then charged he his disciples that 
they should tell no man that he was Jesus the 
Christ." Matt, xvi : 20. But to tell that would 
be to lay the foundation ; therefore, they were for- 
bidden to lay the foundation. But Mr. Ray, look- 
ing through the mists, thinks it was already laid, 
and in process of erection. 

Again, in the next chapter, coming down from 



l^HE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. 12^ 

the mount of transfiguration, "^ Jesus charged them 
saying, tell the vision to no man, until the Son of 
man be risen again from the dead." Matt, xvii : 9. 
In that vision, God, the Father, had spoken from 
heaven: '' This is my beloved Son'' So they are 
forbidden to lay the foundationtill after the resurrec- 
tion. They will then have the facts to announce, 
that Paul announced when he laid the foundation 
at Corinth. 

h, Mr. Ray ridicules the idea of the coronation, 

and says, p. 66 \ 

^^ This crowning of Jesus, King in heaven, after the ascension, 
is no more than the wild fancy of a fruitful brain. The Bible 
has nothing to say on this point." 

So it would seem that the crowning of the High 
Priest^ and the grand announcements I have refer- 
red to in Zech. vi : 13 ; Acts, ii : 36 ; Eph. i : 20-23 '•> 
Phil, ii : 5-1 1 ; Heb. iv : 14-16 are, from Mr. Ray's 
twilight camp, viewed as "no more than the wild 
fancy of the fruitful brain" of Zechariah, and 
Peter, and Paul. 

c, Mr. Ray, p. 64, says : 

*^As Moses came down and delivered the laws to govern national 
Israel, after he had fasted forty days on the mount, so Christ, 
after he had fasted forty days during his temptation in the 
wilderness by the devil, commenced to deliver the laws for his 
kingdom, for the government of Spiritual Israel. The Savior 
continued to deliver these laws till the night he was betrayed. 
After the supper was instituted, which was the last institution 
given, then he delivered the kingdom, as now a complete organi- 
zation, to the disciples in the following words : ^And I appoint 
unto you a kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me, that 
ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.' " Luke 
xxii :29,30. 



126 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

Well, that looks rather nice, and it seems like 
a pity to spoil such a beautiful picture by dispelling 
the twilight mists that wreathe its imagery. Mr. 
Ray looks at his picture from the twilight side. 
Look at it from the sunlight stand-point, and it is 
against his theory. Note the contrast : 

1. The old covenant was written on tables of 
stone. See Deut. v: 1-22. The new is written on 
the heart. 

2. God wrote the old during the forty days. 
Jesus wrote his during three years and a half. 

3. God delivered llie law on tables complete at 
the end of the forty days. Jesus gave his com- 
flete at the end of three and a half years. 

4. God gave the complete law to Moses to be by 
him ministered to the people. Jesus gave his to 
/// ^ a'o'^ilcs and made them able ministers of the 
new covenant. 

5. Moses delivered his to the people after he 
came down from the motcnt. The apostles deliv- 
ered theirs after the Holy Spirit came down from 
heave7i^ as Jesus had commanded them. 

Though the laws of the kingdom were in the 
hands of the ambassadors before Jesus ascended, 
they w^ere restrained from offering them to ^ the 
world for citizenship till the celestial telegram from 
heaven should announce that all was ready. 

In like manner the Supper was given in sacred 
charge to the apostles before the crucifixion ; it 



THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM . 127 

was never administered by them to the congrega- 
tion till after Pentecost. 

d. Mr. Ray maintains that the entire gospel was 
preached to the Jews before the Pentecost, but it" 
began to go to the nations on that day. He says, 

p. 48: 

*' But it is equally true that the same gospel had been preached 
to the Jewish 7zatio?z prior to that time." 

To evade the force of the text, — ''Thus it is 
written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and 
rise from the dead the third day ; and that repent- 
ance and remission of sins should be preached in 
his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusa- 
lem." Luke xxiv : 46, 47, — he says : 

"This passage only proves that the gospel was to begin to go 
to the natio72S from Jerusalem, Avhich it did on the day of Pente- 
cost; but it is equally true that this same gospel had gone to the 
Jevjs first before the day of Pentecost. The preaching of the 
gospel was confined to the Jewish iiation prior to Pentecost; but 
on that day there were * men out of every natio?i under heaven ' 
present at the preaching of the apostles." Acts ii : 5. 

Mr. Ray makes this play upon the word " nation^ ^ 
to try to sustain his assertion that the gospel was 
preached to the Gentiles on Pentecost, the same 
gospel having been previously preached to the 
Jews. But if the reader will turn to the text he 
quotes, he will find that he had to leave out apart 
to make it suit him. He quotes, "men out of 
every nation,^^ etc. But the text reads: "And 
there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout 
men out of every nation ^^^ etc. So, instead of 
Gentiles^ they were devout Jews. Again, Peter 



128 TEXT BOOK: EXPOSED. 

addresses them, ''Ye men of Israel," verse 22, 
and, *' All the house of Israel," and says : '' That 
same Jesus whom ye have crucified," verse 36. 
It was the Jews who were guilty of crucifying the 
Savior, and when Peter, some seven years after, 
preached to Gentiles at the house of Cornelius, he 
said, ''Whom the}^ [the Jews] slew." Besides 
this, it took a miracle to convince Peter that he 
might preach to the Gentiles, after having preached 
to Jews seven years. By the vision of the great 
sheet, and all manner of beasts, Peter was con- 
vinced that " God is no respecter of persons ; but 
in every nation he that feareth him and worketh 
righteousness is accepted with him." Acts x : 35. 
And after Peter had preached to these Gentiles^ 
"and the apostles and brethren that were in Judea 
heard that the Gentiles had also received the 
word of God," (Actsxiri) they called Peter to 
account, and he narrated the circumstances ; and, 
"when they heard these things they held their 
peace, and glorified God saying : ' Then hath God 
also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.' " 
Acts xi : 18. The next verse tells us that those 
scattered abroad, " traveled as far as Phenice, and 
Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none 
but unto Jews only." Acts xi : 19. The next 
verse informs us that some of the*m began to speak 
to Grecians, " and a great number believed, and 
turned to the Lord." Acts xi:2i. Paul and 
Barnabas, on their way to Jerusalem, narrate this 



ITHE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. 129 

event, and it is called, '' declaring the conversion 
of the Gentiles." Acts xv : 3. 

It is evident, then, that " the gospel of Christ," 
''the power of God unto salvation to every one 
that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the 
Greek," or Gentile, was preached Jirs^ to the 
yews dwelling at Jerusalem, and devout Jews out 
of every nation, or every province of the Roman 
empire, who were at Jerusalem attending the 
annual feast of Pentecost, and temporarily dwell- 
ing there, and after some seven years, "also to the 
Gentiles." 

e. To bolster up his ante-crucifixion kingdom, he 
quotes, p. 52 : 

**The law and the prophets were until John; since that time 
the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into 
it." Luke xvi : i6, and adds: *'After reading this will any one 
who is not a rank infidel say that the foundation ot the kingdom 
was not yet laid?" * 

I gather, that '^ rank infidel," in the Ray dialect, 
means any one that will not look through Baptist 
spectacles. 

In the text quoted, the verb vjerei^ in italics, and 
not in the original. It stands literally: "The law 
and the prophets till John ; from then the kingdom 
of God is preached." T\\^nf reached^ andnot zi^ere, 
is the verb understood, to supply the ellipsis. It 
simply says the law and the prophets were preached 
till John : from that time the kingdom of God is 
-preached. See also Matt, xi : 13. But the law 
and the prophets were still -preached ^Ax^x that time. 



130 ^ TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. ' 

Christ had not taken the law " out of the way nail- 
ing it to the cross " till he was nailed to his cross 
himself. 

But how was the kingdom* of God preached? 
" For the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt, 
ivriy. So Jesus preached after the temptation. 
But John had preached in the identical words : 
''For the kingdom of heaven is at hand," Matt, 
iii : 2, some six months previously, and before Jesus 
was baptized, and acknowledged by the Father, as 
his beloved Son. Then, if " al hand'' means com- 
pleted and in full operation, the kingdom was 
completed and in fulloperationbefore Jesus entered 
upon his ministry, and thus, by Mr. Ray's theory, 
Jesus is deprived of the honor of setting up his 
own kingdom. For all the force of Mr. Ray's 
logic, on such passages as these, to locate the set- 
ting up of the kingdom during the personal ministry 
of Jesus on earth, will locate it in John's ministry, 
and before that of Jesus. 

But here is a choice gem of Ray logic to prove 
that " it is at hand'' means has coine^ and is now 
in force. He quotes, p. 51, '' Behold he is at hand 
that doith betray me," Matt, xxvi : 46, and says : 

** Does this imply that Judas did not yet exist, but would be 
set up a short time in the future? " 

Now, where are the '' rank infidels^" to swallow 
that at one gulp ? Judas had not arrived yet, but 
was approaching. So the kingdom had not arrived, 
but was approaching, or at hand. 



The setting up of the kingdom. 131 

The apostle James says: ''Be ye also patient ; 
stablish your hearts ; for the coming of the Lord 
draweth nigh." James v : 8. Here the coming of the 
Lord, "is referred to 2.^^. future ^z'6>///, in waiting for 
which, they should be patient, and yet the apostle 
says, it" draweth nigh ^^^ or is at hand, iov the word 
[^'//Yyr/s'] here rendered drazveth nigh, is the identical 
word, and form of the word, that in Matt, iii : 2, is 
rendered, "/^ at hand^ Clearl}^, then, the expres- 
sion " the kingdom of heaven is at hand," places 
the kingdom in the future, but approaching. 

f, Mr. Ray seems concerned about having Christ 
in his own kingdom. He says, p. 73 : 

*^ Campbellites, in taking their positions, would deny Christ a 
place in his own kingdom, and rob him of the honor of setting 
it up." 

I have already shown that his own logic robs 
Christ of that honor and gives it to John. But 
why should the King be a citize^i of his own king- 
dom? Mr. Ray wants him to have a place in his 
own kingdom. Can he not be the head over it 
without having a place in it as a citizen ? And I 
have shown that he was made head over it after his 
ascension. Eph. i : 20-23. 

g, Mr. Rcfy' claims that John's baptism w^as 
Christian baptism, and that Christ received Chris- 
tian baptism, and, p. "74, saj^s : 

*'But it is certain that the apostles of Christianity did have 
Christian baptism; therefore, the baptism of John, which they 
received, was Christian baptism.' 

Another specimen of Ray logic I Assume a prem- 
ise, and, therefore a conclusion ! We under- 



132 TEXT BOOK EXPOSEt^. 

stand Christian baptism to be in the name of Jesus 
Christ, and into the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and John's bap- 
tism was neither. Again, same page, he says : 

** Christian baptism is admitted to stand before Christian 
communion. But the conimunion was given before the day 
of Pentecost ; therefore the baptism which was prior to this was 
Christian baptism.'* 

I have already shown that the communion 
was not enjoyed by the churches or disciples 
before Pentecost, except as it was put in the 
hands of the apostles, as the ambassadors of the 
kingdom, and ministered by the Savior in person. 
The baptism the apostles had to wait for before 
they could commence was the baptism of the Holy 
Spirit, of which the Savior was the administrator. 
Charter members of the first organization of any 
order or society, do not receive the same initiation 
that they require of all new members thereafter. 

On p. 77, Mr. Ray's logic runs mad and flies to 
pieces. Speaking of the twelve disciples at 
Ephesus, baptized into John's baptism by Apollos, 
and afterwards baptized in the name of the Lord 
Jesus (Acts xix : 1-7), he says : 

** He knew * only the baptism of John,' and,^therefore, could 
not preach more than he knew. He had. not learned the deaths 
burial and resurrection of Jesus^ or the gift of tJie Holy Sj!>irity 

Now, how did Mr. Ray find out that Apollos 
knew nothing of the facts of the gospel, and 
preached nothing but baptism, and John's bap- 
tism at that? The record says he was "mighty 
in the Scriptures," was "instructed in the way of 



THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. 1 33 

the Lord," ''fervent in the spirit," and ''spoke 
and taught dihgently [accurately] the things of 
the Lord." Thus far he was instructed and taught 
accurately , But his deficiency was in regard to 
baftism^ knowing only the baptism of John. On 
this Aquila and Priscilla posted him up, and 
expounded to him the way of God more perfectly 
or more accurately. The same word here is used 
as in the preceding verse rendered diligently only 
in the comparative degree. He already taught 
accurately "the things concerning [_perz^ the 
Lord." But now they have explained to him more 
accurately the way of God. But the things con- 
cerning the Lord would include his life, death, 
burial, resurrection, etc., while the way of God 
would refer to their practice and include baptism. 
But Mr. Ray says : 

<*The re-unmersioii of these disciples shows the importance of 
proper teaching prior to baptism, and also of a proper adminis- 
trator of that ordinance. So Paul was a re-haptizer or anabap- 
tist. From this example, we feel authorized to baptize any of 
the Campbellites who receive proper instruction and desire to 
join us." 

There now, take breath ! That is about as clear 
as mud ! But Mr. Ray does not seem to realize 
that his own logic condemns him : 

1. The passage says nothing about "a proper 
administrator," as though official grace exuded 
from the fingers of an administrator. 

2. These had accurate teaching concerning the 
Lord. 

3. The error was in regard to baptisrn. 



134 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

4. The mistake of Apollos was in supposing 
John's baptism to be Christian baptism. 

5. When corrected they were baptized in the 
name of the Lord Jesus. 

6. There is no evidence that Paul was the admin- 
istrator, as he was in the habit of having travehng 
companions with him who did the baptizing. 

7. Mr. Ray claims that John's baptism is Chris- 
tian baptism, which was the error of Apollos, there- 
fore, some good sister ought to expound to Mr, Ray 
the way of God more perfectly. 

8. If, according to Mr. Ray, John's baptism and 
Baptist baptism are identical, we might ''feel 
authorized to baptize any of the Baptists who 
receive proper instruction [learn the way of God 
more perfectly] and desire to join us." 

9. The example does not warrant Mr. Ray's 
conclusion, as those were baptized from John's 
baptism into Christ, but Mr. Ray proposes to take 
those who have been baptized into Christ, or with 
Christian baptism, and baptize them with John's 
baptism. 

h, Mr. Ray says, p. 80: 

**The law and the prophets, or Jewish dispensation was until 
John, not till Pentecost. It amounts to a question of veracity 
between the Campbellites and the Savior. If he told the truth, 
then the Campbellites are mistaken; but if the Campbellites 
tell the truth, then Jesus was mistaken. Let God be true if it 
makes every man a liar. The Jewish dispensatioji -was until 
John:' 

Hold on a moment \ It is not necessary to make 
so many liars, One will be sufficient, and not 



THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. 1 35 

every man. For, so far as known to me, only one 
man has ever said ''the Jewish dispensation was 
until John," and that one man is the author of the 
Text Book. The Savior did not say so, and, as we 
have already seen, did not say anything that means 
that. So the question of veracity goes home to 
roost. 

i, Mr. Ray insists upon having John in the king- 
dom while Jesus says, "He that is leaat in the 
kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Matt, 
xi : II. But if the least in the kingdom is greater 
than John,^ then John was not in the kingdom. 
Possibly "a question of veracity" might arise 
here again. "^ 

y. Mr. Ray seems to become very apprehensive 
of personal and sectarian danger, and almost goes 
into spasms over a sentence in Mill. Harb., vol. i, 
p. 57, which reads : 

<< All the platforms, all the foundation of the sects are, there- 
fore too narrow and too weak to sustain the Millenial Church, 
and therefore must be pulled down." 

In evident fear of the tumbling ruins about his 
head, Mr. Ray exclaims, p. 91 : 

^'x\re the Campbellites going to pull down the foundation of 
that * sect' which was everywhere spoken against in the time of 
Paul?" 

The consternation was premature at that point, 
for Mr. Campbell was talking of the sects of 
modern times. But the sect everywhere spoken 
against in the time of Paul was the sect called 
Christians^ and not a sect among Christians. But 
he says : 



136 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

** They would prove the Bible false were thej to succeed in pull- 
ing down the church which was built to withstand the gates of 
hen." 

Who ever heard of a church built to withstand 
the gates of hell till Mr. Ray, in frantic terror 
endeavoring to escape the falling ruins, gets off that 
romantic flight of the imagination ! Neither Jesus 
nor the apostles spoke that way. 

But frantic amid the imaginary falling timbers, 
he speeds him home to warn those of his own sect 
of the impending danger, and in breathless haste 
exclaims": 

"Let Baptists beware of the honeyed words o^Campbellites 
about unio7i ; thej' are trying to pull down the Baptist interest." 
p. 91. 

There ! The frightened rabbit has taken refuge in 
his hole at last, and tries to ''pull the hole in after 
him," or block up the entrance: 

1. It is true that the spread of the pure gospel will 
pull down '' the Baptist interest." 

2. If Baptists desire to keep up Baptist interest, 
as distinct from Christian interest, they will beware 
of union. 

3. The Bible does not say there was a church 
built to withstand the gates of hell. 

4. Mr. Ray's church is not the sect everywhere 
spoken against in Paul's day.' 

5. There were no Baptists in Paul's day, and 
therefore could not be the sect spoken against. 

6. If the pulling down of the foundations of the 
§ects, is the pulling down of the Baptist interest, then 



THE SETTING UP OF THE KINGDOM. I37 

the Baptist interest, and the sects beat in unison and 
alike fear union on the pure word of God. 

As additional proof that the disciples of Jesus 
did not know that the kingdom was set up before the 
crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of 
Jesus (Matt, xxvii : 57), and " an honorable coun- 
selor, who also waited for the kingdom of God," 
when he came to ask the privilege of taking the 
body down from the cross. So, if the kingdom 
was then set up, as Mr. Ray claims, this disciple 
did not know it, but was waiting for it. Mark 
XV .-43. And we have already seen that the 
apostles did not know it just before the ascension. 
Acts i : 6. 




CHAPTER X. 

THE FOUNDATION A TRIED STONE. 

*'Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of 
hell shall not prevail against it." Matt, xvi : i8. 

Not the church, but the rock, or foundation, is 
our theme in this chapter. The conversation was 
concerning Jesus. Who is he? Men have a vari- 
ety of opinions about him. But what say ye ? You 
have been with me sorne two or three years. What 
is your verdict? Peter answered : " Thou art the 
Christ the Son of the Hving God." This is now 
the subject of conversation. And to further empha- 
size it by contrast, Jesus says : " Thou art Peter," 
\_I^elros — a stone]. Petros is in the mascuHne gen- 
der. Jesus then adds: ''Upon this rock I will 
build my chruch." This rock^ Hterally, this the 
rock^ tee ^etra. Here ^etra is in the feminine gen- 
der, while ^(^/r (95 is masculine, which shows that 
Peter is not the rock. Again, Petros is without the 
definite article, simply a stone, but tee fetra^ the 
rock, has the definite article expressed in the 
original. Then the rock, or foundation, is identified 
and emphasized. It is, Jesus the Christ, the Son of 
the living (rod. 

In full accord with this, Paul says : ^' Other foun- 

138 



THE FOUNDATION A TRIED STONE. 1 39 

dation can no man lay than that is laid, which is 
Jesus Christ." i Cor.iii : ii. 

John also writes the same, as that which men are 
to believe in order to have life through His name : 

^' These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the 
Christ, the Son of [the] God ; and that beHeving ye might have 
Hfe through his name." John xx: 31. . 

The rock being identified, what use is to be made 
of it. Jesus says he will build his church on it. 
Is it durable, and strong, and a living stone, suffi- 
cient for a foundation to last forever? Yes, " The 
gates of hell [hades] shall not prevail against it." 
Against //, the rock, as I understand it. I am aware 
that the popular idea is that church is the antecedent 
to ''it." But Jesus the Christ was the chief sub- 
ject of conversation, and I think the more logical 
antecedent. The gender does not decide it here, 
as church and rock are both in the feminine gender 
in the Greek. Besides, the durability of the church 
must depend upon the foundation. This, Jesus 
illustrates thus : 

^^ Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and 
doeth them, I will liken him to a wise m^an that built his house 
upon a rock [upon the rock'] ; and the rains descended, and the 
floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house ; and 
it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock [upon t/ie rock]. 
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth 
them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his 
house upon the sand; and the rains descended, and the floods 
came and beat upon that house ; and it fell ; and great was the 
fall of it. Matt, vii : 24-27. 

Here we have the same phrase in the Greek for 
the rock, and the permanency of the house depended 



140 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

upon its being built upon the rock. And those 
building upon the rock, are those that hear and do, 
while those who hear and do not, build on the sand. 
Jesus introduced the illustration by saying : 

"Not every one that salth unto me, Lord, Lord, [or O Lord, 
O Lord,] shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that 
doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven." 

This shows that a man can not pray himself into 
the kingdom of heaven, without doing the will, or 
compl3dng Vv^ith the terms of citizenship. 

The rock then is reliable and all can build upon 
it by complying with the Scriptural requirements. 

But it was to be a '' tried stone : " 

"Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, * Behold I lay in Zion 
for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, 
a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.' " 
Isa. xxviii: 16. 

In this prophecy, uttered 725 years before Christ, 
we notice these items : 
a. It is a stone. 
3. It is for a foundation. 

c. It was to be laid in Zion, not Mt. Sinai, 

d. It is a tried stone, when laid. 

e. A precious corner stone. 

f. A sure foundation. 

g. Must be believed on. 

Do these items all inhere in the foundation, Jesus 
the Christ? We shall see : 

a, Jesus calls it the rock^ and Peter says : *' To 
whom coming, as unto a living stone, ... ye also 
as living stones, are built up a spiritual house,'* 



THE FOUNDATION A TRIED STONE. I4I 

etc., and quotes this text from Isaiah, i Pet. ii : 

4-6. 

b. Jesus makes it a foundation by building his 
church upon it. And Paul says : ''I have laid the 
foundation," and '' Other foundation can no man 
lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ." i Cor. 
iii : 10, II. 

c. This foundation, Jesus the Christ, was by 
requirement first announced at Jerusalem. Acts 
ii : 36. 

d. A tried stone. When tried and what the test? 
" The gates of hades shall not prevail against it," 
is given as the test. And that test must be tried 
before it can be laid as a foundation, for God said 
I will lay a ''tried stone." When Jesus died upon 
the cross he went into hades, and the gates of hades 
seemed to have prevailed. But if he is ''the 
Christ the Son of the living God," he will rise 
again ; if not, he is a deceiver and God will not 
raise him from the dead. But it had been foretold 
that his soul would not be left in hades. And now 
comes the trial. But he conquers, and " his soul 
was not left in hades, neither his flesh did see cor- 
ruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof 
we are all witnesses. . . . Therefore, let all the 
house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made 
that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord 
and Christ." Acts ii : 31-36. 

Now the foundation has been tried, and the gates 
of hades have not prevailed, and the trial has been 



1^2 TEXT BOOK iEXPOSED. 

accepted in heaven, and the result announced on 
earth by the Holy Spirit. Now we can understand 
why Jesus charged his disciples that they should tell 
no man that he was Jesus the Christ, till after he 
was risen from the dead. The stone not being /ri'ed 
the foundation could not yet be laid. 

e. Corner-stone : 

'^And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and 
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone." 
Eph. ii : 20. 

^'The stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made 
into the head of the corner. '^ i Pet. ii : 7. 

y. Sure foundation. He has conquered death 
and now we can trust him. 

g\ Belief, or faith required. When this foun- 
dation was first announced as tried, and the trial 
accepted in heaven, Peter required them to be- 
lieve, or know assuredly that God had made Jesus 
both Lord and Christ. Acts ii : 36. When the 
foundation was laid and the}^ believed, they asked 
what they should do, and Peter told them to 
" repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus 
Christ for the remission of sins." And, according 
to the prophecy, those that believed were not " con- 
founded," nor -' ashamed," but, "They that 
gladly received his word were baptized." 
Now they are built upon the foundation, which 
never could have been laid, as we have seen, till 
tha.t day, and we have the church on the sure foun- 
dation, and begin to read of persons being "added 
to the church." "And they continued steadfastly 



THE FOUNDATION A TRIED STONE. t^^ 

in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in 
breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts ii :^2. 
The apostles' doctrine," then becomes the law of 
the kingdom. 

The foundation is sure ; the King is alive and in 
heaven ; the laws are on record ; the invitation is 
open ; and wherever men with the whole heart be- 
lieve and comply with the terms, they ''are built 
upon the foundation," and are ''fellow-citizens 
with the saints." 

And now, while "the foundation of God stand- 
eth sure," we do not need to inquire whether per- 
sons or churches have " erred concerning the 
truth," but "let every one that nameth the name 
of Christ depart from iniquity." 

Now, we can better understand some things. 
Mr. Ray, p. 91, says : 

** They would prove the Bible false were thej to succeed in 
pulling down the church which was built to withstand the gates 
of hell." 

But we have seen that the Bible says nothing 

about a church "built to withstand the gates of 

hell," but of a foundation on which his church 

was to be built. So pulling down sectarian churches 

will not affect the sure foundation. 

Mr. Ray says, p. 67, concerning Matt, xvi : 18 : 

*'The kingdom had the foundation, and was in process of 
erection." 

If SO, it was laid before it was tried. And If 
Mr. Ray builds in that kingdom, he builds without 
a tried foundation. For we have seen that the 



144 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

tried foundation could not be laid till God accepted 
the trial. 

Mr. Ray, p. loi says: 

*' Baptists also teach that Christ did what he promised when 
he said : * Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of 
hell shall not prevail against it.' We believe that we have received 
* a kingdom that can not be moved ' from its foundation ; and 
though we now compose the * sect ' everywhere spoken against, 
we believe that the time is not far distant when the kingdom 
and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the 
whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the 
Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all 
dominions shall serve him." 

Groundless assumptions, perhaps, do as well for 
Text Book logic as any. He assumes that we 
Baptists have received a kingdom, while the king- 
dom was never promised to Baptists. He assumes 
that the Baptists " compose the sect everywhere 
spoken against," when any one can see that there 
are no Baptists named in the New Testament, and 
none named in history for many centuries. There 
is not the most remote hint that Christ or his 
apostles ever established a Baptist church. Those 
spoken against were Christians, who followed 
the apostles' doctrine as their guide. And such 
are now spoken against by the Text Book. And 
if the Text Book is a fair exponent of Baptist 
sentiment and spirit, instead of being everywhere 
spoken against^ they are everywhere sneaking 
against the pure word of God and those who take 
the Scriptures as their only guide. 



CHAPTER XI. 

THE KEY POWER. 

This subject is connected witk and grows out of 
the last. 

After speaking of the rock and the church he 
would build upon it, Jesus said to Peter : 

^*And I will give unto thee the keys ot the kingdom ot heaven ; 
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in 
heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be 
loosed in heaven." Matt, xvi : 19. 

This is addressed to Peter in the singular num- 
ber, he having been spokesman on the occasion. 
But he gives the same charge to all the apostles in 
the plural number. Matt, xviii : 18. 

As Jesus was shortly to make known the laws of 
the kingdom through the apostles, who are to 
enjoin or make binding all that he had commanded 
them, he assures them that what they make bind- 
inof on earth will be ratified in heaven, and what 
they loose on earth shall also be sanctioned. Here 
we have a key to the whole apostolic teaching. 
Many things that were binding on the Jew under 
the law are not binding in Christianity. If we are 
in doubt whether some things that were practiced 
under the law are binding on Christians, we have 
k 14s 



14^ 



Text 



EXPOSED, 



but to go to the apostles' teachings and see if they 
have made it binding. When Paul says he '' hath 
made both one, and hath broken down the middle 
wall of partition between us ; having abolished in 
his flesh the enmity, even the law of [the] com- 
mandments contained in ordinances," (Eph. ii : 14) 
he uses the same word rendered broken down, that 
Jesus uses in saying " whatsoever ye shall loose on 
earth." The apostles, as the ambassadors of the 
kingdom, were empowered to bind and loose the 
laws for the King, as all ambassadors are, and their 
binding is ratified by the governments they repre- 
sent. And when once made binding they stay 
binding, and no one has a right to sit in judgment 
on their binding and loosing, unless appointed by 
the same governm'ent, and with the same creden- 
tials ; and the credentials of the apostles were 
miraculous, including all the signs and miracles. 

When Jesus gives to these apostles the commis- 
sion, as recorded by John, he evidently gives them 
the same binding and loosing power. He saj^s : 

<* Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; 
and whosesoever sins je retain, thej are retained." John xx: 23. 

This can mean no more nor less than whoseso- 
ever sins are remitted through the law of remis- 
sion that ye shall announce, they are remmitted, 
etc. Jesus claimed and exercised power on earth 
to forgive sins, but not in his own name while 
here ; all was in the name of the Father. But 
when he ascended to his Father, he merged his 



THE KEY POWER. I47 

power to forgive sins into a law of remission in his 
name, to be proclaimed to the world when the Holy 
Spirit came upon them, which occurred on Pente- 
cost. 

In regard to binding and loosing, Mr. Ray says, 
p. 177: 

^* Jesus applied this language to convey the authority to the 
church to exclude unworthy members. This is evident from the 
connection. The seventeenth verse gives special direction for 
the exclusion of the offender from the church, and the eighteenth 
conveys the authority by which such offender must be excluded ; 
so it is evident that to bind and loose is simply the authority 
granted to the church to exclude and restore members, and to do 
whatever a gospel church is authorized by Christ to perform. I 
understand, then, by the exercise of the key foiver^ that the 
church of Christ may not only exclude an unworthj^ member, 
but she may forgive that member in the same sense that one 
Christian is commanded to forgive another. This same key 
povjer was committed to the apostles when Jesus said ' whose- 
soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them ; and whoseso- 
ever sins ye retain, they are retained.' This is the authority to 
bhtd and loose on earth, or to remit or retain sins or offenses 
against the church, which authority was given to all the apostles 
equally, and not to Peter alone." 

He further savs : 

**And this same authority is possessed by every true church of 
Jesus Christ at the present day." Also, p. 179: ^*In like man- 
ner a church of Jesus Christ may forgive those sins or offenses 
committed against herself." 

As an illustration, p. 178, he refers to Paul's 
advice to ''the Corinthian Church to loose from 
church censure one who had been bound or 
excluded from the church." See 2 Cor. ii : 7. 

Thus Mr. Ray claims for the church the key- 
power of binding and loosing. So do the Catho- 



148 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

lies. But Catholic endorsement does not make it 
right or wrong. But Mr. Ray belittles the binding 
or loosing, -by bringing it down to cases of disci- 
pline in the local congregation, and gives every man, 
woman and child in the church a vote in the bind- 
ing and loosing, thus giving to the most ignorant 
members of a church the authority of making laws 
binding, which the King gave only to his 
ambassadors. 

Mr. Ray makes it power to bind or loose per- 
sons under church censure. But the Savior does 
not say zuhomsoever ye shall bind or loose, but 
whatsoever ye shall bind or loose. The church 
may forgive those who offend against her as per- 
sons may forgive those who offend them. But the 
ambassadors alone are authorized to announce the 
laws that shall be binding in all cases, and to the 
apostles, as ambassadors of Christ's kingdom, was 
this authority entrusted. This authority he gives 
them in the commission as recorded by Matthew, 
Mark, Luke and John, the latter expressing it, 
" Whosesoever sins ye remit," etc. On this point 
hear Paul : 

^'All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself bj 
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us [the apostles] the ministry of 
reconciliation ; to-wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the 
world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them ; and 
hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, 
we [the apostles] are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did 
beseech you by us ; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye recon- 
ciled to God." 2 Cor. v: iS-20. 

Here the apostles are the ambassadors with whom 



THE KEY POWER. 



149 



the word or terms of reconciliation had been de- 
posited, and they have announced the terms and 
laws of the kingdom, and made them binding for 
all time, and they beseech men to ''be reconciled 
to God." But in these modern times men are not 
willing to be reconciled to God, upon the terms of 
forgiveness announced and made binding by these 
ambassadors, but, assuming the right of dictation, 
prefer to pray God to be reconciled to them upon 
their own terms. 









CHAPTER XIL 

THE ANTE - CRUCIFIXION KINGDOM. 

We are now prepared to consider and group 
together the errors and infehcities of Mr. Ray's 
ante-crucifixion kingdom. He claims, as we have 
seen, that the kingdom was set up during the per- 
sonal ministry of Jesus, and goes there for his 
terms of forgiveness, and claims that the Baptists 
build there, and teach from that stand-point. Then 
the Baptist kingdom can contain nothing but what 
the kingdom or church contained at that time. 
With that measure then we can gauge the Bap- 
tist kingdom : 

1 . It offers no remission of sins in the name of 
Jesus, for that was not permitted till after the 
ascension. 

2. It had no blood of Jesus yet shed. 

3. No acceptable offering for sin had been made 
in the heavens. 

4. They had no mercy seat in heaven. For John 
says, " He is the propitiation [mercy seat] for our 
sins." I John ii : 2. 

5. The High Priest had not yet entered heaven. 
Heb. iv : 14. 

150 



THE ANTE-CRUCIFIXION KINGDOM. IS^ 

6. The new covenant was not yet in force, for 
the ratifying victirA was not yet slain. See Heb. 
ix: 15-17. 

7. Not ''having a high priest over the house of 
God," they could not " enter into the holiest by 
the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which 
he had consecrated for us, through the vail, that is 
to say his flesh." Heb. x : 19-21. 

8. Sacrifices were yet in force and practiced 
under the law, and Jesus honored the law until he 
fulfilled it and took it out of the way, nailing it to 
his cross. 

9. He could not be a priest on earth, Heb. viii : 
4, and had not yet ascended into heaven. 

10. The Holy Spirit w^as not 3'Xt given, and a 
kingdom without the Holy Spirit, will scarcely fill 
the measure of Christ's spiritual kingdom. 

11. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to guide the 
apostles into all the truth, and convince the world 
of sin, could not come to the apostles till Jesus went 
away, or ascended, but Jesus said he would send 
him to them if he went aw^ay. John xvi : 7-14. 

12. They had no "advocate with the Father, 
Jesus Christ the righteous." i John ii : i. 

13. Th^y had no facts of the death, burial, and 
resurrection of Jesus to commemorate. 

14. Consequently, no memorial loaf and cup to 
commemorate a ^^5/ event. 

15. l>^oJirst day of the week services, as the res- 
urrection, of which it is a monument, had yet 
transpired. 



152 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

16. The King yet to be put to death. 

17. The King had not yet conquered death, the 
great enemy of mankind. 

18. The King not yet placed '' Far above all prin- 
cipality, and power, and might, and dominion, and 
every name that is named, not only in this world 
but also in that which is to come." Eph. i : 21. 

19. Not yet made ''head over all things to the 
church, which is his body." Eph. i : 22. 

20. The King not yet glorified. Jesus saysof the 
Spirit that he would send after his ascension : " He 
shall glorify me," John xvi : 14, and afterward 
prayed, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me 
with thine own self, with the glory which I had with 
thee before the world was." John xvii : 5. ''The 
Holy Spirit was not yet given ; because that Jesus 
was not yet glorified." John vii : 39. So the Holy 
Spirit was not to be given till Jesus was glorified, 
and the Spirit was not to come till he went away. 
Hence "he shall glorify me" means he shall bring 
from heaven the news of my glorification, which he 
did on Pentecost. Acts ii : 36. A few days after 
this, Peter says : "The God of our fathers, >^(3:/// 
glorified his son Jesus^ whom ye delivered up and 
denied him in the presence of Pilate." 9 Acts iii: 

13- 

21. It was not yet known on earth that God had 

made him " both Lord and Christ." Acts ii : 36. 

22. The apostles not permitted to tell that Jesus 
was the Christ. Matt, xvi : 20 and xvii : 9. 



THE ANTE-CRUCIFIXION KINGDOM. I53 

23. While in the flesh he "became obedient vMio 
\_[j-expc^ f^;2//7] death." Phil.ii:8. 

24. He learned obedience by the things which 
he suffered: and being made perfect he became 
the author of eternal salvation unto all them that 
obey him.'' Heb. v : 8, 9. 

25. Authority given after the death of the cross. 
" Wherefore, God hath highly exalted him . . . . 
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus 
Christ is Lord." Phil, ii ip-ii. 

26. Baptism not in his name, [upon his 
authority.] 

27. Baptism not into the name of the Father, 
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

28. The apostles did not know that the kingdom 
was set up. Acts i : 6, and if Mr. Ray has found it 
out he has found out that which it was " not for the 
apostles to know." 

29. The apostles were not yet sanctified nor 
*' endued with power from on high." John xvii : 
17, Luke xxiv : 49. 

30. Waiting for that power they were to tarry at 
"Jerusalem, where they should begin to preach 
remission of sins in the name of Jesus. And 
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John close their testi- 
monies, covering the period of Mr. Ray's Baptist 
kingdom, without telling us that they have com- 
menced preaching remission in the name of Jesus. 
Nor can any one learn from the four gospels how 
the apostles did preach remission in his name. 



154 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

' Possibly that is the reason Baptists can not tell 
sinners what to do to be saved. If I had camped 
in the twilight of the Baptist kingdom, I would lose 
no time in coming out into the sunlight of the 
kingdom of God's dear Son. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

TURNING TO GOD, CONVERSION. 

The word conversion occurs but once in the New 
Testament, and that is where Paul and Barnabas 
were " declaring the conversion of the Gentiles." 
Acts XV : 3. From this one occurrence we might 
fail to learn the meaning of the word. But the 
original word efistrefho^ in its various verbal and 
noun forms, from which we have convert, conver- 
sion, etc., occurs thirty-eight times. By an induc- 
tion of a sufficient number of these passages, we 
shall be able to see, beyond the shadow of a doubt, 
the scriptural order of the steps in conversion. 

Mr. Ray says, p. 158 : 

*' God has not only given us his laws by which we are to be 
governed, but he has also laid down the order in which these 
laws are to be observed by his children. The violation of the 
order of the laws of Jesus Christ is disobedience to those laws 
as much as to violate any one cornrnandraent," 



TURNING TO GOD, CONVERSION, 



^S5 



There, in that, Mr. Ray affirms truly. We 
respect the scriptural order of the steps in conver- 
sion, and observe that order. Mr. Ray charges us 
with inverting the order. I will present the scrip- 
tural order and show that Mr. Ra}^ and the Baptists 
have inverted the order. And as he admits that 
the violation of the order is disobedience^ it will 
follow, that according to Baptist teaching, their 
converts are saved in disobedience^ if saved at all. 

With the following diagram before the eye, the 
reader can refer to each proof text I shall give, and 
see that, step by step, they locate the order of the 
steps in conversion just as arranged in the diagram : 

SCRIPTURAL ORDER OF STEPS IN CONVERSION. 



I. 


2. 


3- 


4. ' 


Healed, 

Saved, 

Forgiven, 


HEAR 


BELIEVE 


REPENT 


TURN 


Blotted out, 


axouco 


nHJTeOCO 


lievavosco 


encaTpSifjco 


Remission, 
Forgiveness. 



Under the verb that expresses each act, I have 
placed the Greek verb that is used in the original. 

Now read the references and glance at the dia- 
gram and see where the Scriptures locate each act : 

^' I. For this people's heart is waxed^gross, and their ears are 
dull of hearing, and their eves have thev closed; lest at any time 
they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and 
understand with their hearts, and should be co?2verted^ and I 
should heal them." Matt, xiii : 15. 

Here, seeing or hearing, and understanding are 
necessary in order to conversion,, or turning. Be 
converted^ in this and similar places, is turn^ and 



156 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

in the active voice in the original, and should be 
rendered tu7'n instead of be co7ive7'tcd. But that 
people's heart had zuaxed [become] gross. Not 
that God made them that way. And they had 
closed their eyes to the evidence. Not that God 
created them with closed eyes. 

'-^ 2. That they should not see with their ejes, nor understand 
with their heart, and he co7iverted, and I should heal them." 
John xii : 40. 

3. Paul quotes the same, as the last two. Acts 

xxviii : 27. 

**4. Then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out of 
their hearts, lest iho-y should believe and be saved." Luke viii : 12. 

5. '' Lest at any time they should be converted^ and their sins 
should be forgiven them." Mark iv: 12. 

These five texts are given to show that healed^ 
saved^ and si^ts forgiven are used interchangeably. 
The first three have heal^ the fourth has savcd^ and 
the fifth has sins foi^ given. They are all, except 
the third, in connection with the parable of the 
sower, and show that the word must be understood 
before men can turn and be saved or forgiven, and 
that men must turn in order to be saved or forgiven, 
and that they must believe in order to be saved, and 
that they can not believe without the word, Luke 
viii: 12, and that those who are the good ground 
hearers '' are they who, in 2m honest dcuA goo d\i^2.x\,^ 
having heard the word, keep it." Luke viii : 15. 
To keef is to do or practice. 

In all these examples, be converted is in the active 
voice turn, in the original, and is quoted frorn Isa, 



Turning to god, conversion. t^i 

*^^6. Lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their 
ears, and vmderstand with their heart, and convert^ and be 
healed." Isaiah vi: lo. 

By turning to this text from which the others are 
quoted, all can see that it is in the active voice, con- 
vert or turn, and not be converted. It is an act that 
man is responsible for, and not something that God 
does for him. 

7. Now turn to Ezekiel and read the instruction 
of the Lord to sinners to turn : 

** So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the 
house of Israel ; therefore thou shalt hear the word at mj mouth, 
and warn them for me. . _. . Nevertheless, if thou warn the 
wicked of his way to tiir^i from it; if he do not tiir7t from his 
way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul, 
. . . but that the wicked turn from his way and live ; tui'7i ye, 
turn jQ from your evil ways; for why will ye die. . . . Again, 
when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he tiir?i 
from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right, ... he shall 
surely live, he shall not die. . . . When the righteous turn- 
etJi from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, he shall 
even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, 
and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live thereby. 
... O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his 
ways." Ezek. xxxiii : 7-20. 

Please turn and read the whole passage. Here 
turn is active, all the way through, and shows that 
God calls upon men to turn, not '' be converted," 
and holds them responsible lor not turning, and that 
the righteous may turn from his righteousness and 
be lost. I have cited this to show man's personal 
responsibility in the matter of conversion. 

**8. How turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, 
whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? " Gal. iv: 9. 



158 TEXT BOOK EXPO^EI). 

This shows, that turn or convert may be a good 
or bad thing, and depends upon what we turn, or 
are converted to or from. 

9. << When it [the heart] shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall 
be taken a\^j." 2 Cor. iii: 16. 

10. *' And how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living 
and true God." i Tlies iig. 

This is a turn or conversion in the right direction. 

11. **And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and 
turned to the Lord." Acts 1x135. 

Thus far I have quoted to show that turn or be con- 
verted^ is an act that 7nan does and is responsible for. 

12. ** When they were come to Antioch, spake to the Grecians, 
preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with 
them; and a great number believed and tiir7ted unto the Lord." 
Acts xi: 21. 

In this example, the order is, they heard, believed 
and turned. 

13. " We also are men of like passions with you, and preach 
unto you that ye should tur7i from these vanities unto the living 
God." Acts xiv: 15. 

14. *' Wherefore, my sentence is, that we trouble not them, 
who from among tHe Gentiles are turned to God." Actsxv: 19. 

These are the same Gentiles or Grecians, that 
were mentioned in No. 12, who heard, believed and 
turned, and the same referred to at the commence- 
ment of this chapter, where Paul and Barnabas 
were '' declaring the conversion of the Gentiles." 

15. *^To open their eyes, and to ttcrjt them from darkness to 
light, and from the power [authority] of Satan unto God, that 
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among 
them who are sanctified by faith that is in me." Acts xxvi : iS. 

This is Saul's commission. With the gospel the 
power of God unto salvation, he is sent to the Gen- 



TURNING TO GOD, CONVERSION. I59 

tiles to do these things: (a.) to open their eyes; 
(b.) to Uirn them from darkness to Hght ; (c.) to 
turn them from the power [authority] of Satan 
unto God. And all these were that they may 
receive forgiveness of sins. 

Now refer to the diagram, and notice that for- 
giveness is in the fifth and final division, and that 
the four antecedent steps lead into that. You will 
have no trouble in locating these three items thus : 
When they hear they will open their eyes. In 
believing they turn from darkness to light, to walk 
in the light of God's word. Then there is still 
another step mentioned that is to turn them from 
the authority of Satan to the authority of God. 
What that act is, does not appear from the language 
of the text. To turn a man from the authority of 
any human government to the authority of another, 
always requires compliance with a legal form ^ the 
knowledge, the faith, the confidence, the trust, the 
will, the determination being antecedent requisi- 
tions. Without obedience to this form, which is 
the oath of abjuration and allegiance, the authority 
is not transferred. And that form is prescribed by 
the government into whose authority the man is 
coming. The kingdom of Jesus Christ is no excep- 
tion, and the legal form, the obedience to which 
recognizes the authority of Christ, is baptism. 

In Saul's commission, his turning from the 
authority of Satan to that of God, is an act as we 
have seen, that comes after faith, and is before and 



l6o TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

in order \,o forgiveness. So it locates itself in the 
order of the diagram. 

i6. But if Paul was sent to turn them, or convert 
them, were they not to be converted after all? 
Paul answers : 

**I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but showed first 
to them of Damascus and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the 
coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should re;pe7it 
ajid turfi to God." Acts xxvi : 19, 20. 

So Paul recognizes this turning as an act that 
man is responsible for, and locates it after repent- 
ance. We have already seen that it is after faith. 
It clearly has for antecedents, hearing, faith, 
repentance, and for a consequence, forgiveness. 

17. ** Repent je therefore, and be converted (turn), that jour 
sins may be blotted out, when the times ot refreshing shall come 
from the presence of the Lord." Acts iii : 19. 

This is Peter, and he had just preached to the 
people, as recorded in the preceding seven verses, 
and the fourth verse of the next chapter, says : 

** Howbeit, many of them that heard the word believed; and 
the number of the men was about five thousand." 

The facts following Peter's preaching are here 
distinctly stated as occurring in this order: (i.) 
They heard. (2.) They believed. (3.) Peter 
comrrianded them to r<^^^;2/. (4.) He commanded 
them to turn or be converted. (5.) Thatyoursins 
may be blotted out. 

Compare this with the diagram, and you will see 
that Peter locates every step in the exact order in 
which I have placed them, which proves that to be 
the scriptural order. And that is the reason I have 



^TURNING TO GOD, CONVERSION. l6l 

placed them in that order. And that is- the reason 
we teach and practice in that order. But Mr. Ray 
charges us with having inverted the order of faith 
and repentance. But I have shown that he and 
the Baptists have inverted the order. So all the 
maledictions he attempted to call down upon our 
heads for inverting the order, ma}^ go home to roost, 
and recoil upon his own head. 

But in charging us with perverting the order, he 
charges Peter with the same perversion. Which is 
the most reliable, Peter and the other apostles, or the 
author of the Text Book? Has Mr. Ray received 
a ray of light into his twilight camp, in the dim 
radiance of which he has discovered that Peter 
made a grand mistake, and the other apostles fol- 
lowed him? What a pity Mr. Ray did not live in 
the apostolic age, that he might have corrected 
Peter's mistake before it had come down through 
the centuries. 

But the question may arise : Why did not Peter 
tell them what that turning act was, that was to 
turn them from the authority of one government to 
that of another? A sufficient answer would be, 
that he had told them only a few days before, right 
there in the same place, and explained every step 
in full, and in the same order as here, and for the 
same design, to which, as the archetype,! next call 
your attention. 

i8. When the time had arrived for the apostles 
to commence preaching remission of sins in the 



162 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

name of Jesus for all nations, beginning at Jerusa- 
lem, Peter stood up with the eleven, and speaking 
as the Holy Spirit gave him utterance, said: 
'' Hearken to my words ;" and after referring to the 
prophecy fulfilled, he repeated, '' Hear these 
words." Acts ii : 14, 22. Then after presenting 
the testimony, he says : 

*^ Therefore, let all the house o£ Israel know assuredly that 
God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both 
Lord and Christ." v. 36. 

Next, when they asked what to do, he said : 

"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of 
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." v. 38. 

Now he has placed the steps in the same order 
as we have seen them in No. 17, and as they are 
arranged on the diagram, except instead oi^urnhe 
gives the turning act, as it is the first time it is ever 
announced. And supplying the turning act accord- 
ing to Peter it stands : i hear ; 2 believe ; 3 repent ; 
4 be baptized ; 5 remission. 

Now that the scriptural order is established, and 
it is certain that Mr. Ray has " inverted the order 
of repentance and faith," and tried to teach others 
so, and has said many hard things against those 
who adhere to the scriptural order, I would advise 
him to "Repent, therefore, of this his wickedness, 
and pray God, if perhaps the thought of his heart 
may be forgiven him." But, perhaps he will say 
that he does not believe he has erred in this and 
done wrong. Never mind about that. According 
to his theory, repentance comes before faith, and 



TURNING "TO COD, CONVERSION. 163 

he should repent first, and beHeve afterwards. He 
should practice upon his own theor}'', and be willing 
to swallow the nostrum he is trying to force down 
the throats of others. 

But Mr. Ray has not only inverted the order of 
the two steps, or acts of turning to God, he has 
endeavored to pervert or subvert it by repudiating 
one act altogether as having nothing to do with it. 
That act of obedience by which man recognizes, 
the authority of Jesus the Christ, the King of the 
new kingdom, has been much abused and maligned, 
and scoffed at and ridiculed, by the children of 
disobedience, and Mr. Ray joins in the hue and 
cry, p. 203, and declares that "baptism is no part 
of the turning act by which a sinner turns to God." 
If an avowed infidel had made that statement, we 
might consider the source. But that a man profess- 
ing to believe the Scriptures should make such a 
statement is truly astonishing. 

Lest- his readers should not take his barefaced 
statement in flat contradiction of the apostolic 
teaching, he undertakes to make a plausible argu- 
ment or sophism, by quoting Paul's commission 
(which I have analyzed in this chapter), and fol- 
lowing it with this expression : 

**Paul affirms that, ^Christ sent me not to baptize.' He 
also declares that * CJirist did se^id Jiim to turii the Gentiles 
from darkness to light and from the fower of Satan unto God;'' 
therefore, baptism is no part ot the turning act bj which a sin- 
ner turns to God." 



164 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

If ever there was a logical nonsequitur intro- 
duced by a therefore, that is one. I have shown 
in this chapter that the hearing of the gospel w^as 
to open their eyes, the belief of the gt>spel to turn 
them from darkness to light, and that a legal form 
w^s required to turn a man from the authority of 
one government to another, and that baptism is that 
form, and that when he went to the Gentiles he 
told them that they should repent and turn to God. 

Paul was not in the habit of doing the baptizing 
at his meetings, as is clear from the history of his 
travels. He was in the habit of having with him 
traveling companions, such as Barnabas, and Silas, 
and Timothy, who were competent to relieve Paul 
of the baptizing. On Paul's first mission to Cor- 
inth, he found himself alone for some weeks, wait- 
ing for Silas and Timothy, by whom he received 
supplies from Macedonia to sustain him in that mis- 
sion, and while waiting for them he supported 
himself by working at his trade. 

** And when Silas and Timothy were come from Macedonia, 
Paul was pressed in the spirit [confined to the word] and testified 
to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ." Acts xviii : 5. 

And the 8th verse says : 

*'Manj of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were bap- 
tized." 

These Gentiles were baptized under Paul's 
preaching, and yet Paul says he baptized only a 
few of them, for his mission was not to do the bap- 
tizing, but the preaching, and convince them that 
they should turn to the Lord, or be baptized. But 



TURNING TO GOD, CONVERSION. 165 

who baptized these Gentiles at Corinth? They 
were baptized, and Silas and Timothy were 
there, and after they arrived Paul was confined to 
the word [so the original gives it], and therefore 
did no more baptizing, but turned that part over to 
his companions. But why did Paul baptize any of 
them? Clearly he baptized those that believed 
before Silas and Timothy came, so important was 
it that those who had believed should turn to God 
without delay, that he did not delay their baptism 
till they came, but baptized them himself. As evi- 
dence of this, Crispus, the chief ruler, believed 
with his house, and he is the first mentioned as 
believing before the Gentile Corinthians, and is one 
of those whom Paul baptized. The others that he 
baptized, the household of Stephanas, are men- 
tioned as " the first fruits of Achaia." i Cor. xvi : 
15. So far from disparaging the importance of 
baptism, this shows that Paul's estimate of its 
necessity, caused him to vary from his usual course 
and baptize with his own hands, rather than delay 
their obedience till his companions came. There- 
fore, baptism is a part of the turning act. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD, AND FAITH TOWARD OUR 
LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

" Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repent- 
ance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 
XX : 21. 

As the word repentance in this sentence and a 
few others, comes before the word faith, some have 
thought from the jingle of the words and their 
arrangement here, that repentance before faith in 
regard to the same object is possible, and try to 
believe in a moral, physical, and literal impossi- 
bility. Men do not so far stultify themselves in 
temporal affairs as to repent of an act or course of 
conduct before they believe they are guilty of the 
deed. 

In the text above quoted, the repentance is 
toward God^ and the faith is toward the Lord 
Jesus Christ. The Jews had repentance toward 
God long ages before they had faith in Jesus the 
Christ, and before Jesus was born. But they had 
faith toward God before they had repentance 
toward God. Then after Jesus is announced as 
'' both Lord and Christ," men are taught faith in 
God, then repentance toward God, then faith in 



REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD, ETC. 1 67 

the Lord Jesus Christ, as they can come to God 
only through him ; then when thej^ believe in Jesus 
as the Christ they are commanded to repent, or 
change their mind or will, in regard to him. So in 
all places, where repentance comes before faith, 
they refer to different objects, and never to the 
same object or thing. In this sense only can 
repentance come before faith ; and in this sense 
only was it ever taught by the apostles under the 
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and in this sense 
only, is it possible. And when we look at it in 
this sense, there is no need of any controversy 
between us in regard to the order of faith and 
repentance. 

In this sense Paul taught as in the text above. 
Now turn to Acts xvii, and see hpw he did it. The 
Athenians had erected an altar " To the unknown 
God." Paul in his oration before the court of the 
Areopagus, says: 

*^ Whom therefore je ignorantly worship, him declare I unto 
jou, God that made the world and all things therein.'' 

Thus he begins by teaching them faith in God, 
verses 23-29. He next comes to repentance toward 
God, saying : 

** And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now 
commands all men everj^vhere to repent." Verse 30. 

Now, after directing their mmAsio/aith in God, 
then to repentance towards God, he begins to intro- 
duce the subject of faith in Jesus Christ, and 
continues : 

** Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge 
the world in righteousness bj that man whom he hath ordained ; 



1 68 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath 
raised him from the dead." Verse 31. 

The one " raised from the dead" is Jesus Christ. 
That is the way Paul taught " repentance toward 
God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ." At 
that point his discourse was interrupted. 

On Pentecost, Peter had an audience of devout 
Jews, who had both faith and repentance tovjard 
God already. Peter directs their minds to faith in 
Christ, and after presenting the testimony, says : 

** Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that 
God hath made that same Jesus, whom j^e have crucified, both 
Lord and Christ." Acts ii : 36. 

To " knozv assuredly " is the strongest kind of 
faith in the Lord yesus Christy and when this faith 
had taken hold of their hearts, he directed them to 
repent. This is repentance towards Jesus Christ, 
or a change of mind and will in regard to him. 
So repentance still follows faith when they both 
refer to the same thing. 

After placing " the cart before the horse," Mr. 
Ray tries to make him work in that order by quo- 
ting, on p. 160: "Repent ye and believe the 
gospel." Marki : 15. This is, perhaps, the strong- 
est text they have for repentance before faith. But 
with the sunlight of the Scriptures that we have 
now seen shining on it there is no trouble at that 
point. Jews, as we have seen, had faith toward 
God, and had been urged to repentance toward 
God, by prophets, and by John the Harbinger of 
Christ, and the gospel preached by John and by 



REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD, ETC. l6g 

Jesus was as in this example : " The kingdom of 
God is at hand ; repent ye and believe the gospel." 
Mark i : 15. The Jews were inclined to shut their 
eves and ears to the evidence of the truth of this 
gvod nezvs^ that the kingdom was approaching, and 
the coming King already born. They would say : 
''Can there any good thing come out of Naza- 
reth? " John i : 46, and, " out of Galilee ariseth no 
prophet." John vii:52. And they would not 
come to Jesus and see the miracles and be con- 
vinced. In that sense even in our day, when men 
will shut their eyes and ears to the testimony given 
in the Scriptures, and seek for faith in some other 
way than that which the Savior ordained, ''through 
their word^^' they need to repent oi that, and come 
to the apostles' word that they might believe. 

This repentance was toward God, and not in 
reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. Before Jesus 
was baptized and introduced to the world, John 
came "preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and 
saying, repent ye : for the kingdom of heaven is at 
hand." Matt, iii : i, 2. 

After Mr. Ray had quoted, "Repent ye, and 
believe the gospel " in the application he makes of 
it, and after a second thought, it seems to have 
soured on his stomach when he remembered Paul's 
language, and he adds : 

*' It is true, that " he that cometh to God must believe that 
he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek 
him.'" Heb. xi:6. 



170 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

But he left out the first part of the sentence, 
which reads : " But without faith it is impossible to 
please him," which shows that a repentance before 
faith could not please God, and I don't wonder it 
made his application sour on his stomach. I only 
wonder it did not compel him to throw it up. But 
he catches his breath again and adds : 

^'But even devils and wicked men may believe this, and jet 
not be in possession of the * faith which works by love' and 
furijies the Jieart.^'* 

Perhaps there is enough poison in that for one 
dose. By analysis it yields the ingredients ; 

a. He takes materials from Paul and from James, 
and combines them in Mr. Ray's mortar. 

b. " T/iis,^^ that he quotes from Paul, is not 
w/iat James says devils believe. 

c. The " devils " were demons^ understood to be 
spirits of dead men, such as knew the Savior in his 
day, and said : '^ Thou art the Christ." 

d. The reason they trembled was, that as departed 
spirits, they were beyond hope, and though they 
believed, there was nothing for them to do to be 
saved ; they were not permitted to rej^ent and turn 
to God. Their faith was faith alone^ and there- 
fore dead. James ii : 17-24. 

e. The demons could not diligently seek him, 
with a hope of reward of eternal life. 

f. The apostle does not say '^ -wicked men may 
believe this," but that "he that cometh to God 
must believe " it in order to come, and in order to 
please God. 



REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD, ETC. 171 

As a sort of forlorn hope, he appeals to Heb.vi : 
I, " Not laying again the foundation of repentance 
from dead works and faith towards God," and 
says : " Thus we have the gospel order of repent- 
ance and faith frequently laid down in the Bible." 

I have shown that the gospel order uniformly 
places repentance after faith when both refer to 
the same thing. In this last text Mr. Ray finds 
the word refentance occurring before the word 
faith ^ and grasps it like a drowning man catching 
at a straw, and to make it do service in his ranks 
he assumes that these are gospel elements or prin- 
ciples. But I can show many reasons that these 
six principles do not belong to the gospel but to the 
typical services under the law. I demonstrated that 
clearly, I think, in two articles that appeared in 
The Christian, of December i8th and December 
25th, 1879, b^^ shall probably not have room for 
it in the proposed limits of this volume. A few 
words here must suffice : 

a. Paul tells us not to lay these again ; then they 
can not be gospel elements, for they are to continue 
to be laid wherever the gospel goes. 

b. This faith is faith toward God and not " faith 
toward the Lord Jesus Christ," and therefore not 
gospel faith. 

c. The repentance Is from dead works^ and not 
the gospel repentance or change of mind toward 
the Lord Jesus Christ. 

d. These are placed in contrast with the gospel. 



172 



TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 



" Let US go on unto [proceed upon] perfection," 
or more literally, proceed upon the perfection or 
maturity, which is the gosfel^ not going back again 
to the types and shadows of typical ages. 

e. The word aroc/^eca^ rendered principles in 
1 2th verse, preceding chapter, occurs seven times 
in the New Testament, and is never used to 
represent gospel principles. 

He throws in another dash of Ray logic, p. 163, 
thus : 

**And, as all will admit that this fnrifyi7ig faitJi must come 
after repentance, or, which is the same, that the purification of 
heart comes after repentance, therefore, the Campbellites are 
wrong in acting on a faith which is obtained independent of 
repentance." 

He assumes his premise by '' begging the ques- 
tion " at issue, and then draws his conclusion. 
And, stranger still, he assumes that all will admit 
his assumption. 




CHAPTERXV. 

CHURCH SUCCESSION. 

While the Roman Catholic Church claims apos- 
tolic or papal succession, the Episcopalian Church 
claims episcopal succession, but Mr. Ray claims for 
the Baptists, church succession. These claims all 
have an eye to official grace flowing through unin- 
spired human fingers. Break either of these chains, 
and the official grace claimed through that channel, 
is dissipated. Then upon what a slender thread 
hangs official grace. 

Mr. Ray files his presumptions claims, pp. 376, 
377, thus: 

<< The Hand-Book of Baptist History will exhibit the peculiar- 
ities of the Baptists, answer the objections urged against their 
claims to antiquity, and point out the most direct line of historic 
succession, back through the dark ages, to the time of Christ and 
the apostles. I design this book to furnish the means of defense 
against all the charges of opponents against the Baptist claims 
to be the visible kingdom of Jesus Christ. This book will be a 
collection of materials from the Bible, as well as from the wri- 
tings of approved historians of the various denominations, to 
defend the Baptists from the attacks of all parties." 

On p. 253, he says : 

** We immerse believer's hecaicse it is essential to memhe^'sJii^ i^t 
the Church of Jesus Christ. No man nor Avoinan can be a inem- 
ber of that church against which the Savior promised that the 
gates of hell should never prevail, without immersion." 

173 



174 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

On p. 91, he says : 

"Are the Campbellites going to j>ull down the foundation of 
that * sect' which was everywhere spoken against in the time of 
Paul? and: The church which was built to withstand the 
gates of hell. And, same page : They are trying to pull down 
the Baptist interest." 

If those claims are not pretentious enough, I see 
not how they could well be made more so. The 
claims expressed or implied are that : 

a. The Baptists compose the visible kingdom of 
Jesus Christ. 

b. They are the Church of Jesus Christ. 

c. It was built to withstand the gates of hell. 

d. Its interest is the Baptist interest. 

e. It is the sect " everywhere spoken against." 
y. That immersion is essential to membership in 

the Church of Jesus Christ 

g. That there are Baptist peculiarities. 

h. The Baptists claim antiquity. 

i. That they have a line of historic succession 
back to Christ and the apostles. 

y. That the material f^r this chain of succession 
is Biblical and historical. 

k. That the Hand-Book will prove these claims. 

Whenever Mr. Ray shall prove this succession, if 
he is still out of the Lunatic Asylum, his next effort 
should be to build a railroad to the moon, as both 
efforts necessitate the ^iianufacture of the material 
of which they are constructed. I shall show in this 
chapter, that the Baptist succession, if made out at 



Church succession. 175 

all, will be made by manufacturing, altering, or 
falsifying history. 

By reading the New Testament and ancient his- 
tory, the reader will come to these conclusions : 

a. The Baptists could not compose the visible 
kingdom of Jesus Christ, for there were no Bap- 
tists in the apostolic age, none mentioned in the 
New Testament. 

b. They could not be the Church of Jesus 
Christ for the same reason, as no follower of Christ 
is ever called a Baptist in the New Testament. 

c. That the Savior never promised to build any 
church to withstand the gates of hell, much less a 
a Baptist chu; '1. It took himself and the mighty 
power of God to withstand the gates of hell. 

d. The interest of the Church of Christ, and 
Baptist interest could not have been identical, as 
there were no Baptists there to share the interest. 

e. The ''sect" everywhere spoken against in 
the days of Paul was a sect called Christians^ not 
Baptists. 

f. Immersion being essential to membership in 
the Church of Jesus Christ, who made it essential 
to membership in a Baptist church? 

g. If there are Baptist peculiarities, they must be 
those things in which they differ from Christians, 
and from the New Testament, for Christians prac- 
tice what is taught in the New Testament, and if 
the Baptists practice the same it is Christian doc- 
trine, or the doctrine of Christ, and we have it in 



176 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED). 

common and not a Baptist peculiarity. But when 
the Baptists go outside the Scriptures for any thing, 
even the na7ne^ that will be a Baftist peculiarity . 

h. Baptist antiquity, in the line of succession, 
can not reach beyond where their name is found. 

5. Their line breaks far this side the apostles. 

y. The material can not be Biblical as they are 
not named in the Bible. 

k. The material being wanting, the Hand-Book 
can not carry the chain across the vacant space 
'without forging some new links. 

Mr. Ray accidentally drops one of these new 
links on page 318, thus : 

** The ancient Waldensian Baptists published a confession of 
faith to vindicate themselves from the slanderous charges of their 
enemies, more than seven hundred years ago." 

Now if he really found " Waldensian JBaftists^^^ 
he would probably be able to give volume and page 
of ancient history where it is found. But the pre- 
sumption is, that it was manufactured for the Hand- 
Book, but accidentally dropped into the Text Book. 
But it gives an intimation of the kind of material 
of which a succession chain must be made. I will 
introduce a few scraps of history bearing on this 
subject : 

I. Neander, Vol. 4, p. 614, says: 

*^ The Waldenses went on the principle that the Sacred Scrip- 
tures, independent of every other authority, explained from 
themselves, are to be recognized as the only source of the knowl- 
edge of the Christian faith." 

That course w^ould make Christians^ not ''Bap- 
tists." That is the course we are pursuing now, 



Church succession. 177 

in the United States, which has called forth the 
maledictions of the Text Book. 

2. Mosheim, p. 492 : 

<* It is difficult to determine, with certainty, the particular spot 
that gave birth to that seditious and pestilential sect of Ana- 
baptists." 

3. Mosheim, p. 500: 

*' The sectaries in England, who reject the custom of baptizing 
infants, are not distinguished by the title of Anabaptists, but by 
that of Baptists." 

4. Johnson's New Universal Cyclopedia, v. i, p. 
137: 

''Anabaptists, a name applied during the sixteenth century to 
various bodies of Swiss and German Christians, who, while dif- 
fering widely in personal character, in social and political opin- 
ions, and religious faith, agreed in discarding infant baptism, 
and in rebaptizing (according to the popular notion) those who 
personally accepted Christianity. While in this respect, the 
German Anabaptists held a position similar to that of the Bap- 
tists of to-day ; they did not, as a general thing, insist that im- 
mersion only is valid baptism. Indeed, they generally practiced 
pouring or affusion." 

5. Same vol., p. 384: 

"The name 'Baptists' has Heen borne by the denomination 
whom it now designates onh^ about 200 years." [1874.] 

6. Same vol., p. 384: 

" In England, their first recorded Confession of Faith (A. D. 
1644) is said to be of, ' Churches ot Christ, in London, which 
are commonly (but unjustly) called Anabaptists.' In this his- 
torical sketch the name Baptist will be used to designate the 
German ' Wiedertaufer,' the Dutch ' Doopsgezinden,' and Eng- 
lish 'Anabaptists' and 'Baptists,' without intending bv the 
name to assert a perfect similarity between them in all things. 
The German ' Anabaptists ' more frequently practiced pouring 
than immersion ; and the same statement may be made respect- 
ing the Dutch ' Menrionites.' These bodies of Christians agreed 

m 



178 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

with our modern Baptists, however, in admitting only professed 
believers to baptism, and in maintaining the independence of a 
gospel church of ecclesiastical or political control. They are in 
some sense, the progenitors of the Baptists of to-day, though 
the historical connection between the two can not be easily 
traced." 

7. Same vol., p. 386: 

"In Switzerland, in Germany, and in Holland it has been 
found impossible to decide when Baptists first appeared, or which 
were the first churches of Baptists in those lands, (their simulta- 
neous appearance, on eve^y hand, being a natural result of that 
appeal to the Scriptures in contradistinction to tradition, made 
by Luther, Zwingle, and Melancthon,) and it is quite as ditfi- 
cult to decide the question about the Baptists of England." 

8. Same vol., p. 385 : 

**The Baptists in the Netherlands have been for a long time 
generally termed Mennonites, from Meno, one of their chief 
teachers." 

The last five extracts from Cyc, Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7 
and 8, are from an article, pp. 383-387, revised by 
M. B. Anderson, president of Rochester Baptist 
University. It is, therefore, authentic Baptist 
history, from which we collate these items of Bap- 
tist admission : 

a. They were Anahajptists in the sixteenth cen- 
tury. 

b. The Anabaptists sometimes ^r^^//<:^<i'_^(9^/r/;^^. 

c. They have worn the name Baptists about 200 
years. 

d. Called Churches of Christ in first recorded 
confessions of faith in England. 

e. That Mr. Anderson took the responsibility of 
calling them Baptists in his article ; thus honestly 



CHURCH SUCCESSION. 1 79 

confessing or pleading guilty to the charge of 7iian'- 
ufacturing " Baptist " history. 

f. There was not even '^ 3, perfect shmlartty be- 
tween them." Similarity is not identity, and yet 
Mr. Ray thinks to prove identity without even 
perfect similarity. 

g. Anabaptists more frequently practiced -pour- 
ing. 

h. In some sense progenitors of modern Bap- 
tists. 

/. Historical connection not easily traced. 

j. Not known when \\\^y first appeared in those 
lands. 

k. Natural result of Lutheran reformation. 

/. Appearance in England involved in some un- 
certainty, 

m. Called Mennonites in Netherland. 

If 5 through the centuries, persons or communities 
can be found in history following the apostolic 
teaching and practice, they were Christians,, not 
Baptists. A church can not follow apostolic teach- 
ing and call themselves by a sectarian name. And 
the idea of a church with a sectarian name, trying 
to claim identity with Christians back to the apos- 
tolic age, is simply absurd. 

If they could make out a living chain through, 
what would it avail any one now living? It would 
only be a dependent connection of flesh, a human 
chain. And flesh and blood can not inherit the 
kingdom of heaven. If salvation depends upon 



l80 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

administrative grace, a break in the chain away- 
back in the dark ages would imperil all this side, 
and without their complicity or knowledge. 

We do not depend upon men. We go directly 
to Christ, through the teaching of his apostles, as 
Jesus prayed for the unity of those who believe in 
him, through their word, Jno. xvii : 20. And 
wherever their word is found, men and women can 
believe through their word, and obey him, and con- 
stitute a church of Christ, and themselves Chris- 
tians^ -ixnA live the Christian life, in all godliness, 
and suffer persecution and slander at the hands of 
such men as the author of the Text Book. 

BAPTIST SUCCESSION GIVEN UP. 

The more intelHgent Baptists have given up the 
exploded idea of Baptist succession, as untenable. 
I will present some further Baptist authority. 

The Old Path Guide, of January, 1880, p. 13, 
copies from the St. Louis Baptist a communication 
in which Prof. Norman Fox, of William Jewell 
College, Mo., takes ground against Baptist succes- 
sion, and gives the following names of able Baptist 
scholars who repudiate it, viz : Rev. Heman Lin- 
coln, D. D., professor of church history in Newton 
Theological Seminary; Dr. Wm. Williams, pro- 
fessor of church history in Greenville Theological 
Seminary; Dr. R. J. W. Buckland, professor of 
church history in Rochester Theological Seminary ; 
Dr^Geo. W. Northrup, president Chicago Baptist 



^ CHURCH SUCCESSION. l8l 

Theological Seminary ; Rev. David Weston, pro- 
fessor of church history in Hamilton Theological 
Seminary ; Dr. Howard Osgood, professor of 
church history in Crozier Theological Seminary. 
Among these. Prof. Buckland says : 

<* My historical investigations make it perfectly clear to me 
that a continuous line of Baptist churches from the time of the 
apostles to the Reformation period has never been established. 
Orchard's attempt to do it is sadlv weak, and would disgrace any 
historical writer. He quotes the fathers as holding views which 
thev condemn, ignores many facts which would utterly disgrace 
his position, and shows throughout the folly of working from 
secondary sources of information. The valuable collection of 
Benedict is marred with the same faults and mistakes, and Mr. 
Ray's ^ Baptist Succession ' falls into the like errors." 

So the railroad to the moon has failed, and per- 
haps might be termed " the moon hoax," and the 
attempt of a church, the name of which can not be 
traced beyond the Reformation period, to drive its 
stakes through and beyond the dark ages show^n to 
be chimerical. 

But it may be said, we do not find the name 
'' Baptist" through these periods, but only Baptist 
principles. I have already shown that if they were 
Scriptural principles, they were Christian -princi- 
ples^ not Baptist. The absence of the na7ne is evi- 
dence of the absence of the thing itself. It may 
be asked, has not a church a right to name itself? 
To a church of htiman origin may be conceded the 
right to take a human name, and by that name be 
recognized as a human church ; but a church of 
Christ, assuming a name not given by the apostles 



l82 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

in the Scriptures, thereby steps out of that union 
the Savior prayed for (Jno. xvii : 20), and to that 
extent goes into the apostasy. But Mr. Ray, p. 35, 
says : '' No one has the right to name himself, and 
so no church is expected to name itself." Then 
who gave the Baptist Church a right to name itself? 
It is certain that no church established by the Sav- 
ior or the apostles was called Baptist, and therefore 
neither the Savior nor the apostles ever established 
a Baptist Church. So the authority for the exist- 
ence of such an entity as a '' Baptist Church," is 
problematical or mythical. 

Mr. Ray charges Mr. Campbell with teaching 
'' That the society which he has formed is the king- 
dom of heaven." p. 129. If the churches of 
Christ in the days of the apostles, and constructed 
upon the apostolic teaching, and of disciples called 
Christians, composed the kingdom of heaven, will 
not churches of Christ formed upon the same basis 
and plan, and wearing the same name, now compose 
the kingdom of heaven? But Mr. Ray claims that 
Baptist churches, constituted by himself and other 
Baptists, upon Baptist principles, and wearing a 
name unknown to the apostles' teaching, compose 
the kingdom of heaven. Any one can see that Mr. 
Ray's claim is more absurd than the one he charged 
upon Mr. Campbell. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

REMISSION ^JUSTIFICATION. 

I have shown in chapter thirteen, that saved, 
healed, forgiven, remission, etc., were used inter- 
changeably, and in the apostolic teaching preceded 
by the order of steps, hear, believe, repent, and 
turn, or be baptized. 

Mr. Ray seems to be peculiarly exercised over 
the apostolic teaching that obedience is antecedent 
to remission or justification, and from his twilight 
stand-point hurls his fier}^ darts against it. But his 
darts fall harmless at the feet of those who view it 
\n\he sunlight of the Scriptures. 

I. Mr. Ray says, p. 196: ''Salvation is offered 
to sinners in answer to prayer before one word is 
said about baptism," referring to Peter on Pente- 
cost, Acts ii : 21, quoting as fulfilled the prophecy 
of Joel : 

**And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the 
name of the Lord shall be saved." 

He then tries to make his statement stick, with 
the thin paste of his stale logic. He says : 

**Here is the authority for unsaved and unbaptized persons to 
pray for salvation ; and as salvation is offered in answer to the 
prayer of faith, then it does not depend on immersion." 

183 



184 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

All that, to try to prove that mortal man may sit 
in judgment on a command of the Savior and 
declare it a non-essential^ just as a certain person 
did in the garden of Eden when he declared the 
command of God a non-essential. A careful analy- 
sis yields the following : 

a. The premise, first statement, is absolutelyy^/5^, 
and a falsehood is not likely to yield much truth. 
Peter did not offer salvation to those sinners in 
answer to prayer, on the occasion referred to. He 
said not one word to them about prayer, as any one 
can see by reading the verse (21) he refers to. I 
suppose Mr. Ray would have led them through that 
dark road, and thinks that Peter ought to have done 
so too. 

b. This quotation was made before these sinners 
had believed. 

c. Before Peter had said one word about Jesus 
of Nazareth, 

d. He had not yet offered them salvation on any 
terms. 

e. Mr. Ray admits they were sinners. 

f. He admits they were unsaved, 

g. He admits they were unbaftized. 

h. He says salvation is offered in answer to the 
prayer oi faith. 

i. He concludes, therefore, that it does not 
depend upon immersion. 

. j\ They had not heard the testimony on which to 
believe* 



REMISSION ^JUSTIFICATION. 1 85 

k, Peter had not yet called on them to believe. 

/. Mr. Ra}^ then would have these unbelievers 
pray the prayer of faith ! His logic cuts his own 
throat ! But there is no telling what a man will do 
or teach when he cuts loose from the word of God, 
and follows the wild vagaries of men. 

When Peter had convinced them, and they had 
believed, he told them what to do ; but prayer was 
not one of those things, nor is it mentioned till the 
42nd verse, and among Christian duties, and after 
they were baptized. I am unable to see any excuse 
for men falsifying the Scriptures to try to sustain 
some pet theory of modern theology. 

Mr. Ray ought to know that quoting that proph- 
ecy did not command them to pra}^ and even if it 
did, and they were saved thereby before baptism, 
they were also saved before faith, for they were 
then unbelievers. If his logic proves one, it proves 
the other. 

The Jews called on the name of the Lord Jeho- 
vah at the altar of sacrifice, where God had 
recorded his name, Abraham " builded an altar 
unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the 
Lord." Gen. xii:8. Again, on his return, he 
came ''unto the place of the altar, which he had 
made there at first ; and there Abram called on the 
name of the Lord." Gen. xiii : 4. And again, 
Isaac "builded and altar there, and called upon the 
name of the Lord," Gen, xxvi : 25. 



l86 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

Peter had quoted the prophecy (21) as that day 
fulfilled, and proved to them that God had made 
Jesus Lord (36) ; hence their question, what to do. 
They knew what to do to call on the name of the 
Lord Jehovah under the law, but what to do to call 
on the name of the Lord^ Jesus Christ they knew 
not, for it had never been announced, and that day 
for the first time it was to be announced in his 
name. And he commanded them to be baptized in 
the name of Jesus Christ. 

Peter taught and practiced the same way with the 
Gentiles at the house of Cornelius. He taught con- 
cerning Jesus Christ that "He is Lord of all;" 
taught them that those who believe in him shall re- 
ceive remission of sins " through his name^^^ and 
'/ commanded them to be baptized in the name of 
the Lord'^ Acts x: 36, 43, 48. This same event 
is referred to by James at the council at Jerusalem, 
as the fulfillment, or as in harmony with the proph- 
ecy of the new institution, concluding : " That the 
residue of men might seek after the Lord and all 
the Gentiles upon whom my name is called." Acts 
XV 117. The nmne of the Lord was called upon 
these Gentiles when they were baptized in the 
name of the Lord, according to the command of 
Peter. Acts x : 48. 

Paul quotes this same prophecy of Joel. Rom. 
x:i3. 

That this " call upon the name of the Lord," or 
having the name of the Lord called upon them^ 



REMISSION JUSTIFICATION. 187 

does not mean -prayer^ though it may include it by 
implication, is evident from the language of the 
Savior : " Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, 
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but 
he that doeth the will of my Father who is in 
heaven." Matt, vii : 21. Saying, Lord, Lord, or O 
Lord, O Lord, is praying ; but that, without doing 
the divine will, would not bring them into the king- 
dom, though Mr. Ray seems to think he could get 
them in that way. 

2. Again, Mr. Ray says, p. 196: 

" None but those who '- gladly received ' the gospel were im- 
mersed on the day of Pentecost. No person can be said to have 
gladly received tJie word while he is still under sentence of 
condemnation, and suffering the sting of a guilty conscience." 

He might just as well have said a starving man 
could not gladly receive the offer of a good dinner 
while he is still suffering the pangs of hunger, and 
doomed to death if he refuses ! But Mr. Ray 
would have him mourn^ and grieve and sorrowhe- 
cause he has the offer of provisions to save him 
from starvation ! 

3. He says, p. 197 : 

** None will deny that the Pentecostians were believers in 
Christ before baptism ; but * whosoever believeth that Jesus is the 
Christ, is born of God.' Therefore, the Pentecostians were 
born of God before baptism ; and as all the children of God are 
pardoned, consequently, the Pentecostians were pardoned prior 
to baptism." 

There is a rich specimen of lapsed logic ! That 
is, its back is broken and a part of the vertebra 
slipped aside and a foreign element introducedt 
Here is an illustration : 



l88 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

a. All my destitute neighbors have received an 
invitation to dine at my table. 

b. Those w^ho have accepted an invitation have 
the privilege of coming to the dinner. 

c. Therefore, my neighbors had the privilege 
before they came. 

d. And as all my fmnily are supplied, 

e. Therefore, my neighbors v^^ere supplied before 
they came to my table. 

Now try it on. Here it is, stripped of verbiage : 

a. The Pentecostians believed. 

b. Those who believe are begotten of God. 

c. Therefore, the Pentecostians were begotten, 

d. All the children of God are pardoned. 

e. Therefore, the Pentecostians were pardoned 
prior to baptism. 

He very dextrously slips in child^^en of God 
where I inserted my family in the example, an 
element not in the first three members. It is 
affirmed of those that believe that they are begotten 
of God, but it is not affirmed that they are children 
of God^ or that they are pardoned. 

John informs us what it is to be begotten or born 
of God. It is to believe that fesus is the Christ, 
I. Johnv:i. But instead of that making them 
children of God, it gives them the -privilege to be- 
come the children or sons of God. A privilege 
they could not have if believing made them chil- 
dren of God. John i : 12, 13. 

So, when the Pentecostians believed that God 



kEMlSSION ^JUSTIFICATION. 1 89 

had made Jesus both Lord and Christ, it became 
\h€\x -privilege to become the children of God, and 
avaihng themselves of that privilege they were bap- 
tized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
4. On p. 197, he says : 

**The hearts of the Pentecostians were purified by faith which 
was before baptism. But when the heart is purified sin is par- 
doned. The hearts of the Pentecostians were purified before 
baptism; therefore, their sins were pardoned before baptism." 

In this he assumes the second premise, and 
draws his conclusion. But his assumed premise is 
false, and therefore his conclusion false. In the 
mists of twilight his vision is confused, and he fails 
to distinguish between sins forgiven and heart puri- 
jied. (The word pardon does not occur in the 
New Testament.) The heart means the affections. 
And faith in a loving Savior purifies the affections, 
and changes the heart from the love of sin to the 
love of God and Christ. And the language of the 
purified heart. will be ''Lord, what wilt thou have 
me to do?" But the forgiveness or blotting out 
of sins purifies the character from the guilt or stain 
of past sins. But tfee past sins are not in the heart 
that is purified by faith. He does not love them, 
and therefore does not look into the heart ior an 
evidence of forgiveness. They have been taken 
out of the heart. The blood of Jesus Christ can 
cleanse that stain of sin. For that purpose he 
ascended into heaven with his own blood. God 
also has the record of past sins in his own keeping ; 
and that blood avails to cleanse the stain, or blot out 



ip^ 'TEXT BOOK EXPOSED* 

those Sins when man complies with the required 
conditions. The blood of Jesus Christ was shed 
in his death. And Paul says : 

" Know je not that so mr.nj of us as were baptized into Jesus 
Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried 
with him by baptism into death." Rom. vi : 3. 

This is very significant. His blood was shed in 
his death. To receive its benefits we must come to 
the death. Baptism brings us to the death. There- 
fore the baptism into death is a burial. But this 
baptism is obeying from the heart the form of doc- 
trine, in which they were made free from sin. 
Rom. vi : 17, 18. And therefore the baptism of 
obedience, and not baptism of the Holy Spirit, 
which was a promise, and not a command, to be 
obeyed. 

Now we can understand why Jesus said: ''He 
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," 
Mark xvi : 16, and why Peter, under that commis- 
sion, said: ''Repent and be baptized for the 
remission of sins," Acts ii : 38, and why Ananias 
said : "Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy 
sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Acts xxii : 
16. 

5. He tries to make it appear that the Philippian 
jailer was saved without baptism. He says, p. 197 : 

'* The jailer said : * Sirs, what must I do to be saved ; ' and the 
apostles answered, ^ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou 
shalt be saved.' But if Campbellism be correct, then the 
apostles deceived the jailer hj falsehood.'''' 

It ma}^ be a small matter for Mr. Ray to insin- 
uate that the " apostles deceived the jailer by false- 



k^MlSSiON ^JUSTIFICATION. I^t 

hood," but if his statement above is not an attempt 
to deceive his ignorant and deluded readers, it 
would be difficult to find deception anywhere. 

He tries to make it appear that to believe was all 
that they required in order to be saved, and intro- 
duces his sophism in this way : 

** Where to he saved^ is specified in the question, baptism is 
not in the answer in the New Testament." 

Now any one can see, by reading the account, 
that believe was not the whole answer, and any 
attempt to make it so appear is an attempt to 
deceive. Now turn and read the account : 

^*x\nd the J said, beHeve on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou 
shalt be saved, and thy house. And thej spake unto him the 
word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he 
took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes ; 
and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he 
had brought them into his house he set meat before them, and 
rejoiced, believing in God, with all hishouse." Acts xvi : 31-34. 

Analvsis of the above : 

a. They told him to believe, (v. 31.) 

b. They could not believe without hearing, for 
faith comes by hearing. Rom. x : 17. 

c. They spoke to him and his, the word. (v. 32.) 

d. The word they gpoke is included in the 
answer. 

e. A part of the word of the Lord \^ : '' He that 
believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Mark 
xvi : 16. 

f. A part of that word is : ^'Repent and be bap- 
tized every one of you in the name of Jesus ChriLit 
for the remission of sins." Acts ii : 38. 



192 TEXT BOOK: EXPOSED. 

g, A part of the word is : Whosoever believeth 
in him shall receive remission of sins through his 
name, and that Peter commanded them to be 
baptized in the name of the Lord. Acts x : 43, 48. 

h. The jailer had already brought them out. (v 

/. They all heard the word. (v. 32.) 

y. He and they believed, (v. 34.) 

k. He washed their stripes, (v. 33.) 

/. They were all baptized, (v. 33.) 

m. They all rejoiced, (v. 34.) 

n. After baptism he took them into his house. 

(v. 34-) 

o. He gave them their supper, (v. 34.) 
f. If the answer excludes baptism, it also 
excludes repentance, as it is not mentioned. 

I am satisfied that iniquity rests upon every 
attempt to wrest this case of conversion from apos- 
tolic practice, and make it do service in the cause of 
the modevn/atth alone doctrine. 

6. Mr. Ray says, p. 198: 

"If they had asked *What shall we do to be saved?' then 
Peter could not, with propriety, have included more in the 
answer than was absolutely necessary to salvation. But as the 
question, * What shall we do?' includes duty more than thQ point 
of salvation, so the answer includes duty more than the point of 
salvation." 

a. He assumes that saved is not implied, and, 

b. That Peter includes more than was necessary 
to salvation. Pity Mr. Ray was not there to cor- 
rect Peter. 



REMISSION JUSTIFICATION. I93 

c. Peter's mission that day included to announce 
remission in the na^ne of^ yestcs, Luke xxiv : 47. 

d. Saved means remission. Mark xvi : i6 and 
Luke xxiv : 47. 

e. Therefore, salvation was in his mission. 

y. Saved was in his teaching that day. (v. 21.) 

g. He is bound to include remission or salvation 
in the answer. 

h. But Mr. Ray thinks Peter transcended his 
authority. 

i. Mr. Ray would not include salvation in his 
answer. Perhaps that accounts for Baptists not 
giving the same answer that Peter did. 

y. He thinks the do has reference to duty^ rather 
than to salvation. 

k. If duty, was it duty as Jews under the law? 
If so, they knew that already. 

/. If Christian duty, that is taught after they are 
baptized. Matt, xxviii : 20 and Acts ii : 42. 

7n. They were unbelievers and sinners according 
to Mr. Ray's teaching, for Peter commanded them 
to repent, and Mr. Ray says repentance comes 
before faith, and faith before remission. 

n. Then Peter was teaching unbelieving sinners 
to perform Christian duties, which was not accord- 
ing to his commission. Matt, xxviii: 19, 20. 

o. The point they needed instruction on directly 
was, how to call on the name of the Lord Jesus to 
be saved. Acts ii : 21, 36. 



194 TEXT BOOK EXP6S£:i3. 

-p. As that drew out the question, it should be in 
the answer, and it was. 

q. Christian duties are recurring duties, and if 
baptism is a Christian duty, as Mr. Ray claims, he 
should tell us how often it should be practiced, 
whether every week like the supper, or every month, 
or once a year. See Acts ii : 42. 

7. Of this same answer of Peter on Pentecost, 
Mr. Ray says, p. 198 : 

^' Here are two distinct commands, rej^entance and baptism. 
The first, repentance, reaches ^ unto lite,' into a ^ faith which 
worketh by love ;' and as those who have passed from death unto 
life are pardoned, therefore, the Pentecostians were pardoned 
before baptism, because they had repented unto life before bap- 
tism." 

There we have another specimen of thread-bare 
logic. 

a. He admits two commands in the answer. 

h. He assumes that the first is in order to salva- 
tion, and reaches unto life. 

c. He had just tried to prove that the second was 
not. 

d. If his logic in last article proves for baptism 
what he claimed, it will prove the same of repent- 
ance. 

e. He assumes that repentance reaches '' into a 
faith that works b}^ love." He says that, but Paul 
says nothing like it. Gal. v : 6. 

f. He assumes that those who have passed from 
death unto life are pardoned. But the Scriptures 
nowhere so affirm. Jesus, before remission was in 



I 



i 



kEMlSSlON JUSTIFICATION. tp^ 

his name, and addressing Jews under the law, gave 
kcarmghis word, and believing on him that sent 
him, as evidence that they had passed from death 
unto Hfe, but not as evidence that they were par- 
doned without obedience to the law under which 
they lived. John, in writing to Christians, whose 
sins had been forgiven " for his name's sake," lit- 
erally, " through his name "' (i. John ii : 12.), gives 
the love of the brethren as an evidence that they 
had passed from death unto life. i. John iii : 14. 
These are the only two places in the New Testa- 
ment where " passed from death unto life " occurs, 
and it is not given as an evidence of pardon ; there- 
fore, it is an unwarranted assumption for Mr. Ray 
to use it as such. Neither is it scripturally true. 

g. After thi^ee assumptions he draws his conclu- 
sion, that the Pentecostians were pardoned before 
baptism. 

h. After his conclusion, in his bungling logic, he 
introduces an additional element into the premise, 
and assumes that they had repented unto life before 
baptism. But the '^repentance unto life " that God 
granted the Gentiles was not a repentance without 
obedience, nor a repentance before faith, but by a 
sign after they believed, God granted them the 
privilege of receiving remission of sins through his 
nanie^ by being baptized in the name of the Lord. 
Acts X : 43-48 and xi : 1-18. 

Allow me to assume four premises and the use of 
Mr. Ray's patent logic, and I can prove almost 



196 Text book EXpoSEir). 

anything, even from the Darwinian assumption of 
the descent of man, down to the absurdities of Mr. 
Ray's theology. 

8. At this point, p. 199, Mr. Ray introduces a 
criticism from Elder Williams, as follows : 

^* Peter does not make repentance and baptism sustain tlie 
same relation to the remission of sins. The word repent is inde- 
pendent ot the remainder of the sentence. It is not, ' Every one 
of jou repent and be baptized,' etc. The nominative to ^repent,' 
is not * every one,' but * j^e.' The Greek is iiezayorjCFaTe^ 
imperative in the pkiral. It can not, therefore, have a singular 
nominative. The word rendered *be baptized,' is j^aTTTCdd/lTCO, 
It is not an imperative, nor is it plural. * Every one ' is its nomina- 
tive. Hence, the literal and correct translation would be, 
* Repent ye, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of 
Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins.' * For remission of sins,' 
then, whatever may be its meaning, is stated as a reason for the 
latter command and not the former. The command to 
repent is given imperatively, without a reason — Repent ye. 
There was reason enough for this found in their conscious guilt 
and consequent alarm. But the reason why they should be bap- 
tized in the name of Jesus Christ is not so apparent, hence a 
reason is given: * For the remission of sins.' " 

I shall show that this criticism of Elder Williams 
is against Mr. Ray's position, and favors baptism 
for remission of sins as we understand and teach. 
He takes the following positions : 

a. The two commands do not sustain the same 
relation to remission. 

d. The w^ord refent is independent of the 
remainder of the sentence. 

c. That repent has no reference to remission. 

d. This upsets Mr. Ray's logic in the last num- 
ber. 



REMISSION ^JUSTIFICATION. I97 

e. That remission of sins is the reason given for 
the command to be baptized. 

f. It is not repent for remission, etc., but be bap- 
tized for the remission of sins, whatever that means. 

g. Baptism for remission is thus segregated. 
h. That repent is given without a reason. 

i. That the reason for baptism is given. 

This transfers the investigation to the significance 
of the phrase, for remission of sins. Does it mean 
in order to remission of sins ? or, because of remis- 
sion of sins? It is admitted that baptism is for 
remission in one of these senses. We affirm the 
former. Mr. Ray and the Baptists the latter. 

Peter directs those who had heard the word and 
beheved, to repent and be baptized, and as "be 
baptized" is now separated from ''repent," it 
follows that those who hear, believe, and repent, 
are to be ''baptized for [src] the remission of sins." 
The primary meaning of eis is into. Then they 
were to be baptized into remission, or into a state 
in which was remission. But remission was to be 
in the name \j,nt zco ovofiazc'] of Jesus Christ. 
Luke xxiv : 47, first proclaimed that day, and Peter 
commanded them to be baptized in the name [^enc 
Tco ovoij.azc'] of Jesus Christ, into [s/c] the remis- 
sion of sins. 

In the next published discourse of Peter, he 
directed those who had heard the word and beheved, 
to repent and be converted [turned] "that your 
ains may be blotted out." But we have seen 



ICS TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 



y 



(chapter 13) that blotting out of sins and remission 
of sins mean the same thing. And in this place, 
Acts iii : 19, Peter uses the same preposition [s^c] 
into, that he does in Acts ii : 38. So this act, be 
converted [turn] follows hear, believe, and repent, 
and like baptism on Pentecost, introduces them 
into a state of remission, or blotting out of sins. 
But while in Acts ii : 38, it is translated, '' for the 
remission of sins," they do not hesitate to translate 
it, '' that your sins may be blotted out," where the 
same preposition [e^c] is used. Acts iii rip. 

Again, the same apostle instructs the Gentiles 
that those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
were to receive remission of sins through his name, 
and he commanded them to be baptized in his 
name. Acts x : 43, 48. 

, Mr. Ray endorses the criticism of Elder Will- 
iams, that it was the baptism that was '' for remis- 
sion of sins," and then says : 

*^But why did Peter saj to the inquirer, on the day of Pente- 
cost, ''Be baptized for the remissio7i of shis^'' if their sins were par- 
doned before baptism? We reply, for the same reason that the 
Savior told the man whom he had cleansed of the leprosy, to offer 
for his ' cleansing those things which Moses commanded.' 
The leprous man was entirely healed from the leprosy, and yet 
it was necessary for him to oHqv for his clea7isi7ig- tho^e things 
which Moses commanded. ' 

There now, Mr. Ray, you may just as well give it 
up, like an honest man, and surrender with a good 
grace. I take your witness. He has testified 
against you. Now, gentle reader, please turn and 
read Matt, viii : 1-4, Mark i : 40-4^, Luke v : 12-1^ 



i 



REMISSION ^JUSTIFICATION. 1 99 

andLev. xiv: 1-20, and you will see that Jesus did 
not cleanse the le^er^ but the leprosy , "His leprosy 
was cleansed." ''The leprosy departed from 
him." " And immediately the leprosy departed 
from him." This is the testimony of Matthew, 
Mark and Luke. Now the leper is cured ^ but not 
cleansed from the stain or legal defilement. Jesus 
cured him, but did not disparage the authority of 
the law under which he lived by cleansing him 
without compliance with the law. That was the 
priest's business, and Jesus was not a priest. The 
leper still had to go to the priest to be cleansed 
according to the law. 

You will notice that the leper must be cured before 
the priest could commence the process of cleansing. 
See Lev. xiv : 1-20. Now when Jesus had cured 
the leper, he was ready for the priest to commence 
the process of cleansing. The cured leper had to 
wash and shave, and on the seventh day repeat the 
same. On the eighth day he brings the offering, 
'' those things which Moses commanded," two he 
lambs, one ewe lamb, and flour and oil. These 
were presented, not because he was cleansed, but 
that he might be cleansed, and the priest used them 
in the process of cleansing. '' And the priest shall 
offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon 
the altar ; and the priest shall make an atonement 
for him, and he shall be clean." The atonement 
was made with blood, and the leper complied with 



200 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

the law in order that the blood might avail to cleanse 
the stain of his leprosy. 

As leprosy is a type of sin, the leprosy of sin 
must be cured in the heart by faith in Christ. But 
the stain of past sins will be cleansed by the blood 
of Christ on compliance w^ith the requirements. 

The things offered for his cleansing, then were 
in order to his cleansing. And Mr. Ray says, 
baptism was commanded for remission of sins in 
the same sense ; then according to his own admis- 
sion, baptism was commanded in order to remission 
of sins. But I am not done with the witness. Mr. 
Ra}^ emphasizes for his cleansing, as though he 
thought, or wanted to make others think, that it was 
introduced by the same preposition. In Acts ii : 38, 
it is eis^ into remission, but in the leper case it is 
TiZi^i^ concerning his cleansing. But in the next 
phrase, " For a testimony unto them," we have £^c- 
In Matthew, Mark and Luke it is for [s^c] a testi- 
mony unto them. And no one is so dull as not to 
see that " for a testimony " means in order to, or to 
secure a testimony. Then from the testimony of 
Mr. Ray's own witness, be baptized for the remis- 
sion of sins, means, be baptized in order to the 
remission of sins. Perhaps Mr. Ray did not have 
his Greek Testament at hand, or did not know the 
preposition when he saw it, and hitched the horse 
to the wrong' cart, or else presumed upon the igno- 
rance of his readers. 

9. But here comes another bantling of Baptist 



REMISSION ^JUSTIFICATION. 20I 

theology that needs to be " clothed and in its right 
mind." Mr. Ray sa3^s, p. 200 : 

<' Ananias said to Saul, ^ Arise and be baptized, and wash away 
thy sins.' Acts xxii : i6. No one who is not grossly superstitious 
can believe that the water literally washes away sins by coming 
in contact with the naked spirit; therefore, when baptism is said 
to be for the remission or washing away of sins, we are compelled 
to understand this as an emblematic washing away of sins." 

The unworthy and insulting fling about water 
literally washing away sins, by coming in contact 
with the naked spirit, is entirely gratuitous, but 
then as an ornament it may serve to show the ani- 
mus of the heart out of the abundance of which 
it came. As Mr. Ray knows that nothing of that 
kind is taught amongst the people he insults and 
stigmatizes as Campbellites, but owes its coining and 
circulation to Mr. Ray and those of his ilk ; his 
"grossly superstitious fledgling may safely be per- 
mitted to go home to roost among its kin. 

His position is thus expressed, p. 254: 

''We imme^'se for the formal iv ashing azvay or remission of 
sins. Our sins are really pardoned when we believe in Christ." 

And, p. 181, he tries to make Paul testify to the 
same. After quoting Paul in Rom. v : i, he says : 

*^ All agree that Avhen one is justified he is also pardoned, for 
justification includes pardon. And Paul afiirms that we are 
"•justified by faith ; therefore, we are pardoned by faith." 

He quotes that to prove that Paul and others 
were justified when they believed. But he falsifies 
the language of his witness. Paul does not affirm 
that we are justified by faith, as any one can see 
by reading the sentence : 



202 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

*^ Therefore being justified bj faith we have peace with God 
through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. v: i. 

Peace, not justification, is what is predicated in 
that sentence, and it is predicated of those who 
have been justified by faith. 

Now I will cross-examine the witness, and he 
will testify against Mr. Ray's Baptist theology. 

Q. Paul, do you affirm that all who have been 
justified by faith, have peace with God through our 
Lord Jesus Christ? 

A. Yes. I affirm that proposition. 

Q. Did you believe when you saw Jesus and 
heard his voice, on your way to Damascus ? 

A. I did. 

Q. Did 3^ou have faith during your three days' 
waiting at Damascus ? 

A. Yes, most assuredly. 

Q. Did you have peace during those three days? 

A. No. I could neither eat nor drink. 

Q. When did you have peace and w^as able to eat 
and drink? 

A. After I was baptized. 

Q. Then was you justified before you was 
baptized? 

A. Of course not, else I would have had peace, 
for I have already affirmed that those who have been 
justified have peace. 

Q. Did you know during those three days that 
your sins had been really pardoned or washed away 
when you believed? 

A. I did not. 



REMISSION ^JUSTIFICATION. 203 

Q. Then, if you did not know it, how can any 
one else know it ? 

A. I know of no way except through their own 
imaginations. 

Q. Then, when you speak of being justified 
by faith, do you mean by beheving alone, without 
and before obedience of the faith? 

A. No, I never taught anything of the kind, and 
never wrote any thing that could be fairly con- 
strued in that way. 

Q. Then, what do you mean by the phrasey^//>^ 
only^ or faith alo7ie ? 

A. I never wrote faith only^ nor faith alone, 

Q. Then where do the modern churches get 
their doctine of faith alone P 

A. They must receive it from modern theology, 
for it did not exist in my day. 

Q. Did you not teach, " that salvation is alone 
by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ? " 

A. I never connected the word ''alone" with 
either grace ov faith, 

Q. Then how came Mr. Ray to write, on page 
360 of his Text Book, the sentence quoted in my 
last question, and say that Baptists teach it? 

A. I suppose they found it where they found faith 
alone ^ for it was not found in my day. 

Q. But did not the Baptists teach it at that time? 

A. They could not, for I never heard of any 
Baptists in my day. 

ID. Finally, Mr. Ray makes a desperate thrust, 



204 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

p. 137, at what he calls the ''popish fallacy of sal- 
vation alone in the church^'''* and says, p. 138 : 

** Once more, * By grace are je saved through faith, and that 
not of yoursehes; it is the gift of God.' Eph. ii:8. It is by 
grace^ through faith^ and not through the church, that we are 
saved. '''^ 

That is where they get their grace alone, and 
their faith alone. They are both there, yet they 
are both alone, like a husband and wife living 
together, yet each living alone. I leave such jargon 
for the superstitious to reconcile. But Mr. Ray 
quotes that to prove that people can be saved 
out of the church as well as in it. If he means 
the Baptist Church, I concede his claim that 
any one can be saved outside of the Baptist Church 
as well as in it, and better, too. And on his theory, 
I can see no reason why the modern society called 
a Baptist Church should have been formed, or what 
use there is in the w^orld for it. Men and women 
had been saved during some fifteen hundred years 
before there was any Baptist Church. 

But the Church is the body of Christ, and to be 
in the Church is to be in the body of Christ, and to 
be in the body of Christ is to be in Christ, and the 
apostle informed the disciples, on several occa- 
sions, that they had been baptized into Christ. If 
they were baptized into Christ, they were not in 
him before baptism, as they could not be baptized 
into that they were already in, but after they are 
baptized into they are then in him. 



REMISSION— JUSTIFICATION. 205 

I will now analyze the text quoted above, Eph. 
ii : 8. In the first chapter Paul had spoken of the 
choosing, predestinating, qualifying and inspiring 
of us^ the apostles, who Jirst trusted in Christ. 
Verses 3-12. He then speaks of ye, the Gentile 
Christians, who also trusted in him, after they 
heard the word of truth. Verses 13, 14. He closes 
that chapter by referring to the mighty power of 
God, which he wrought in Christ when he raised 
him from the dead, and placed him far above all 
rule and authority, and made him ''head over all 
things to the Church which is his body." Verses 15- 
23. In the second chapter he reminds them they 
were in time past Gentiles, without Christ, aliens, 
etc. But now in Christ Jesus, they whowerej^r 
off. Gentiles, had been made nigh ; that Christ had 
broken down the middle wall, the law of command- 
ments, to make of the two one new man, and recon- 
cile both to God in the one body, and preached 
peace to those afar off [Gentiles] and to those 
nigh [Jews], and all had been built into one build- 
ing. Now we have the three classes before us : the 
we, apostles ; the ye. Gentile Christians ; the them 
that were nigh, the Jews. We can now under- 
stand that Paul in the text, reminds these Gentiles 
that it was by the grace, or favor of God, they 
were permitted to be saved through faith [the faith] , 
that is, through the gospel- — without the works of 
the law, the burden of which they, the Jews, had 
borne so long. 



2o6 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

Proposition : Ye are Saved. Eph. ii :8. 
Adjuncts: i. By grace. \j'Q X'^'P^'^^~\ Feminine, 

2. Through faith, [r->yc 7r^^^sct>c] Feminine. 

3. And that (?) \y.at touto\ Neuter. 

4. The gift. \to 8copov\ Neuter. 

In this the apostle affirms that ye^ the Gentiles, 
are saved, — unlimited proposition. Limited — ye are 
saved by grace — ye are saved through the faith — and 
that (something) is not of yourselves — it (that same 
something) is the gift of God. 

Now what is it that is the gift of God? Some 
say it is faith, but that is only an assumption. Any 
one, whether he understands the Greek in the 
brackets or not, can see that the that which is not 
of themselves, is the thing which is the gift of God. 
Then, whatever it is, we can insert it where the 
parenthesis is, after that. Now put faith there and 
read, and that faith not of yourselves, it is the gift 
of God. But faith is feminine gender in the Greek, 
and that is neuter, and can not limit a feminine. 
Also, gift.> in the Greek, is neuter and can not be 
faith which is feminine. Then it is demonstrated 
that it is not faith that Paul affirms to be the gift of 
God. The same will apply to grace as it is also 
feminine in the Greek. The gracious gift of God 
then is that the Gentiles are saved through \_dia'\ 
the faith of the gospel, without the burden of the 
works of the Jewish law. 

' But this salvation is in the one body after the 
middle wall is broken down and the two families 



REMISSION JUSTIFICATION. 207 

united into one, and that one body is the body of 
Christ, the Chuj'ch^ and we have seen that the apos- 
tles taught that they were baptized into Christ and 
into that one body ; so this salvation by grace 
through faith does not exclude the obedience of 
faith, but necessaril}^ includes it. And yet Mr. Ray 
sneers at salvation only in the Church. If he 
teaches sinners that they can enjoy salvation out of 
the Church, out of the body of Christ, out of Christ, 
I can't see why he is so anxious to have them come 
into the Church. 

II. But, in his desperate effort to locate salva- 
tion in the world instead of in the Church, and 
through feeling and groping in darkness, instead of 
walking in the light of God's word, he says, p. 

155: 

^^ But in coming to God, Paul taught the necessity of devo- 
tion ; for he instructed sinners that they should seek the Lord, 
if haplj they might feel after him, and find him, though he be 
not far from every one of us." Acts xvii : 27. 

Now turn to the passage and see that Paul did 
not " instruct " those sinners to do what Mr. Ray 
says he did. He stated that God had made all 
nations to dwell on the earth, and to seek the Lord, 
if haply [b}^ chance] they might feel after him and 
find him. Paul was not teaching them to try this 
chmice work of trying to find out God by feeling 
after him. Mr. Ray would teach them that way, 
and hence in the chance way some claim to find 
him and some do not. But God had given the 
nations the opportunity of trying their hand at 



2o8 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

finding out God, independent of his word, by the 
chance way, and, at Athens, they had made a grand 
failure, and their failure had culminated in writing 
upon one of their altars, To the unknown God. 
So, instead of finding him by chance, they had 
failed to find him and recorded their ignorance 
upon an altar. But Paul, instead of instructing 
them to keep on in that way, and by chance they 
may find him sometime, instructed them thus : 

*'And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now 
commands all men everywhere to repent." V. 30. 

Between the times of ignorance when men tried 
to find God by feeling after him, and the now 
when he commands all to repent, there is as much 
difference as between Mr. Ray's theology, and the 
apostolic teaching, and concerning the same Paul 
writes : 

** For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom 
knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to 
save them that believe." i Cor. i: 21. 

12. While Mr. Ray and others have been teach- 
ing the faith alone system, they have tried to fasten 
on Mr. Campbell the charge of teaching a system 
of salvation by immersion alone, and Mr. Ray 
says, p. 211 : 

''''Mr. Campbell teaches that zmmersio?z alone -was the act of 
turning to God^ 

This is a proposition at the head of a section, 
and has been exposed in No. 12, Chap.iii. But I 
will close this chapter by an article to the point, 
from Mr. Campbell, and let him speak for himself. 



REMISSION ^JUSTIFICATION. 209 

In Mill. Harb., i860, p. 713, Mr. Campbell pub- 
lishes from the Richmofid Christian Adv&cate^ an 
article copied from the Richmond Herald^ of Nov. 
22, charging him with teaching that "Baptism is 
the only medium divinely appointed through which 
the efficacy of the blood of Christ is communicated 
to the conscience," and calling it ''Creed of Alex- 
ander Campbell." To this, Mr. Campbell replies 
as follows : 

" Mr. Sands endorses this, calling it * Creed of Alexander 
Campbell.' This is its whole context, a positive falsehood. I 
have never affirmed that baptism alone — that is, without the 
blood of Christ, and Avithout faith in that blood — ever took away 
or remitted a single sin committed bj any subject of baptism 
from the day of Pentecost to the present moment in which I 
write these lines. I must, therefore, painful however it may be, 
call this a palpable and positive falsehood, a slanderous or blas- 
phemous falsehood ; I might probably say, a willful and deliber- 
ate falsehood ; but I leave this open till Mr. Sands explains 
himself." 




CHAPTER XVII. 

THE NAME CHRISTIAN. 

I shall show in this chapter that disciples of 
Christ are divinely authorized to be called Chris- 
tians. Mr. Ray seems to be as afraid of that name 
as the devil is said to be of holy water. He is a 
little like the dog in the manger, in the fable, that 
could not eat the hay himself, and barked at the 
horses and oxen to keep them from it. He will not 
wear it himself and scoffs at those who do. The 
name Christan is not a sectarian name, except that 
it distinguishes all the followers of Christ from 
the world. It is not a divisive, but a unifying 
name. The work of Christ is to unite all in. one 
family. The work of the devil is to divide^ and 
try to conquer. All sectarian names are divisive^ 
and, therefore, to that extent serve the interests of 
the devil. We refuse to adopt a sectarian name, 
but prefer to remain in the family, and loyal to the 
family name. Those who take a sectarian name, 
go outside the apostles' word for that name, and, 
therefore, outside of the union the Savior prayed 
for. John xvii : 20, 21. And if they go out of the 
Book for their name, it is ^rima facia evidence 

210 



THE na:vie christian. 211 

that they go out there for a part of their doctrine. 
For if they are not going to teach something not 
found in the Book, they have no use for a name not 
found in the Book. 

As assuming and wearing a sectarian name is fav- 
oring the divisive interests of the devil, so trying to 
force a sectarian name upon others is in the interests 
of Satan. Then, it is clear to my mind that those 
who call us Campbellites are, in so doing, serving 
the cause of the devil. 

Mr. Ray says, p. 23 : 

**They speak of the various denominations as only * Method- 
ists,' * Presbyterians ' and ^ Baptists.' " 

Of course we do. We claim some politeness 
and Christian courtesy, and call them by the names 
they have adopted. And if we could persuade 
them to drop those destructive names and adopt the 
name Christian, we could call them Christians with 
equal courtesy. 

He says : 

*' Whenever I can consent to call the Campbellites, Christians, 
in their exclusive sense, I will then apply for membership with 
them." 

If that threat should be carried out what will 
become of us ? It would require some tall repenting 
in the author of the Text Book to make him a fit 
subject to apply for membership among us. He 
admits that when he calls us Campbellites he delib- 
erately affirms that which he knows to be false. 
We sometimes hear of vjJiite lies^ but those that are 
zuillful^ and of malice aforethought, are not of that 
kind, but class among the black ones ; and as he has 



212 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

put a regiment of over six hundred of that kind into 
the Text Book, I suppose to that " six hundred " 
may be conceded the title of The Black Brigade . But 
he will not wear the name Christian, except in an 
" exclusive sense," and as we do not wear it in an 
exclusive sense, there is no danger of our being put 
to so severe a test. 

He tries to make capital, pp. 38, 39, etc., of the 
fact that Mr. Campbell, in 1840, took sides against 
the name Christian as of divine origin. But in 
doing this Mr. Ray seems not to notice that he con- 
victs himself of bearing false witness, in charging 
Disciples with being followers of Alexander Camp- 
bell, for in this particular, at least, they did not fol- 
low him. His word alone was not authority with 
them, as Mr. Ray has falsely asserted. 

But after all it appears that Mr. Campbell pre- 
ferred the name Christian, at a later period by near 
a score of years. Mill. Harb. Vol. ii : No. i, 1859, 
p. 17, Mr. C. says : 

<'Now, sir, jou will do the Baptists and the Disciples of the 
Lord Jesus Christ — or, as we prefer to be named, Christians — I 
say you will do them and the whole cause of Christianity a great 
and good service by arming yourself well, and coming up to the 
discussion with all your power and eloquence, and, the Lord 
willing, we shall be at our post at the time stipulated and give our 
reasons for our faith in these positions." — A. Campbell's 
response to Dr. D. R. Campbell. 

Mr. Ray says, p. 39: 

**The most depraved sects in all Christendom have been 
sticklers for names." 

Of course, sects are sticklers for names^ in the 



THE NAME CHRISTIAN. 21 3 

plural number, while true Christians adhere to the 
one name and as cordially repudiate sectarian 
names. And I am even willing to concede to Mr. 
Ray, that stickling for names (sectarian) may be 
an evidence of depravity. Of course he does not 
mean that adhering to the name of Christ, as 
Christians, is evidence of depravity. 

But has the family of God, in Christ, been named ? 
If so, what? when? where? by whom? and by 
whose authority ? These questions will now receive 
brief attention. 

THE UNITED FAMILY NAME. 

** For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father o± our Lord 
Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is 
named." Eph. iii : 14, 15. 

In preceding chapter, the apostle had shown that 
Jew .and Gentile had been united into one family, 
in Christ, and rejoicing in this, lie informs us that 
the whole family had been named after the Lord 
Jesus Christ. But what named? 

1. *^ For the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by 
another name." Isa. Ixv: 15. 

2. " For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusa- 
lem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth 
as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. 

And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy 
glory; and thou shalt be called by a new riame, which the mouth 
of the Lord shall name." Isa. Ixii : i, 2. 

In these prophecies we learn that the servants of 
God were to be called by another name at some 
future period of time, and that it was to be a new 
name which the mouth of the Lord should name. 



21^ TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

and to be when the Gentiles shall see the righteous- 
ness. That event had occurred, as Paul had just 
shown, and they had been named. 

3. " Do not they blaspheme that worthy [honora- 
ble] name by which ye are called?" Jas. ii : 7. 
They were called by a worthy name, after Christ, 
and the people of the world spoke evil of that name, 
as they do now. 

4. Jesus says: ''And for my name's sake hast 
labored ;" "Thou boldest fast my name ;" 
" And hast not denied my name." Rev. ii : 3, 13, 
and iii : 8. Here Jesus commends them for holding 
fast his name, and not denying it. 

5. But which name — the Jesus [Savior], the 
human side of his name, or Christ, the official 
title? "But ye have an unction from the Holy 
One, and ye know all things." i John ii : 20. Here 
the word for unction is chrisma [;f/^'^<T//«] , anoint- 
ing, from the verb chrio \xi^^^*^~\'> ^^ anoint. This 
points in the direction of the official name. In the 
27th verse, same chapter, the same word occurs 
twice, and is both times translated anointing, and 
might in all three places be translated Christing. 

6. The verb chrio \XP^^^'\ occurs five times in the 
New Testament, viz : Luke iv : 18, Acts iv : 27 and 
X : 38, 2 Cor. i : 2«^, and Heb. i : 9, uniformly ren- 
dered anointed, and applied four times to Jesus, 
and once to the apostles. 

7. The noun Ckristos [.Y^^^roc],a derivative from 



THE NAME CHRISTIAN. 1 5 

chrio^ occurs 570 times in the New Testament, and 
uniformly translated Christ, and applied to Jcsus. 
'" 8. Christianos\_ XpcaTca)^o^~\ , a derivative from the 
same, occurs three times, viz : Acts xi : 26, Acts 
xxvi : 28 and i Peter iv : 16, rendered Christian or 
Christians, and applied to the disciples or followers 
of Christ. 

9. Its use in Acts xxvi : 28, is : " Then Agrippa 
said unto Paul, ' almost thou persuadest me to be a 
Christian,' " from which we learn that the court at 
Cesarea knew the name by which the disciples of 
Christ were called. 

10. Peter uses it thus : 

"- If je be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ; 

for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you; yet if any 

man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed ; but let him 
glorify God on this behalf." i Pet. iv : 14-16. 

Here suffering as a Christian is an explanation of 
reproach for the name of Christ, and " on this 
behalf " is rendered " in this name," by the Bible 
Union. 

11. Now that they are named, we will go to Acts 
xi and witness the naming. In verse 18, the apos- 
tles and brethren in Judea heard Peter's account 
of his visit to Cornelius, and "glorified God, say- 
ing : Then had God also to the Gentiles granted 
repentance unto life." Hitherto the light of the 
gospel had remained with the Jews, but is now 
about to shine to the Gentiles. And some of the 
brethren went to Antioch and preached to the 
Grecians. " And the hand of the Lord was with 



2l6 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

them ; and a great number believed and turned to 
the Lord." (V. 21.) Now for the first time Gen- 
tiles are built in with Jews in one congregation, and 
the time arrived when they should be called by the 
new name, according to the prophecy uttered over 
700 years before. 

When the church at Jerusalem heard it, they sent 
Barnabas to see about it. He came, and saw, and 
was glad, and exhorted them to cleave to the Lord, 

and went and brought Saul there. 

**And it came to pass that a whole j^ear they assembled them- 
selves with the church, and taught much people. And the 
disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." V. 26. 

Now the family is named Christian^ at the 
right time, when the Gentiles had come in, and 
under the superintendence of Saul, an apostle of 
Jesus^ and Barnabas, an apostle of the Churchy so 
that the head and the body^ the brzdegroo?n and the 
bride^ are mutually represented at the naming of 
the family, and recorded as the result of a year's 
labor of these special apostles. 

12. But was the name of divine authority? Some 
say it was given by their enemies. That, however, 
is an assumption, as there is not even a hint in that 
direction. Three things are reported as being done 
in connection with that mission, assembling, teach- 
ing, and naming, or calling. These three verbs 
being infinitive in the Greek, the subject is not 
expressed. Simply, it was to them, or happened 
to them, or belonged to them as a part of their 
mission to asse^nble^ to teach^ and to call the disci- 



THE NAME CHRISTIAN. 21 7 

pies Christians. And then the words for disciples 
and Christians, are both in the accusative case, 
which corresponds to the object of a transitive verb 
in the English, the one as the object of a call, and 
the other in apposition. But the translators do not 
hesitate to express " they" as the subject of assem- 
ble and taught. Is it not then as clearly the implied 
subject of called? Though for technical or other 
reasons the last clause is rendered : ''The disciples 
were called Christians," the truth will crop out that 
Paul and Barnabas wereresponsible for the naming. 

13. I have a still stronger witness in the word 
itself, rendered called in Acts xi : 26, where they 
were called Christians. The word in the Greek is 
chrematizo {_Xpr^fJLau^co'], and occurs in noun and 
verbal forms ten times in the New Testament, to 
which I will call attention, that the reader may see 
that the word itself is an expression of divine 
authority, meaning to give a divine admonition, 
or in the Greek mythology, to announce an oracle : 

(i.) ''And dezng warned of God in a dream." 
Matt, ii : 12. The words in italics are the transla- 
tion of the one word under consideration. 

(2.) "Notwithstanding, being vjarned of God 
in a dream, he turned aside." Matt, ii : 22. 

(3.) "And it was revealed unto him by the Holy 
Ghost." Luke ii 126. 

(4.) " Was warned from (9^(^by a holy angel." 
Acts x: 22. 



2l8 Ti:XT BOOK EXPOSED. 

(5.) " She s/iall de called an cidulttress,^^ Rom. 
vii:3. 

(6.) "But what saith the answer of God to 
him? " Rom. xi : 4. 

(7.) "As Moses was admonished of God when 
he was about to make the tabernacle." Heb. viii:5. 

(8.) " By faith Noah being warned of God of 
things not seen as yet." Heb. xi : 7. 

(9.) " For if they escaped not who refused him 
that spake on earth." Heb. xii : 25. 

(10.) " And the disciples were called Christians 
first in Antioch," Acts xi : 26, the passage under 
consideration. If the word carries divine authority 
in it, as all these examples show, were not the dis- 
ciples by divine authority called Christians? Then 
they were called by the name that the mouth of the 
Lord named. 

II. There is another word, kaleo \y.alEco^~\ which 
occurs 146 times in the New Testament, and is the 
word for call when not by divine authority, and 
that word would have been used here if they had 
been called Christians by their enemies, or even 
by their friends, if not by divine authority. 



. CHAPTER XVIII. 

AMBASSADORS. 

Mr. Ray charges, in a proposition in capitals at 
the head of a chapter, p. 292, that: " Mr. CajNIp- 
bell's theory of Spiritual influence denies 
the call to the ministry." 

Of course he means, the denial of miraculous 
spiritual gifts in the Church now, denies the mirac- 
ulous call to the ministry. If it does not mean that, 
it has no significance in this connection, as what he 
calls Mr. Campbell's theory of spiritual influence, 
denies as existing in the Church now, no Scriptur- 
ally expressed influence of the Spirit, except the 
miraculous. 

He quotes Paul : 

^^For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to 
another tlie word of knowledge, by the same Spirit." i Cor. 
xii:8. And again: ''God hath set some in the Church, first 
apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers," etc. i Cor. 
xii : 28. 

He then adds : 

''From these and other Scriptures, it is evident that God 
enjoins different duties on different members of his churches." 

Now, that these are miraculous spiritual gifts 
any one can see by reading the remainder of the 
sentence from which he quotes, as gifts of healing, 



220 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

working miracles, discerning spirits, and speaking 
in tongues are included in the list, i Coi'. xii : 8-10. 
And when Mr. Ray can show, by actual facts that 
these gifts are in the Church now, he may show a 
miraculous call to the ministry. Those he quoted 
from the 28th verse are also miraculous, for mira- 
cles, gifts of healing, and tongues, are included in 
that list. But in the next chapter, the apostle tells 
us that these same gifts are to fail, cease, vanish 
away, etc. But when Mr. Ray can write a few 
sentences from the "word of knowledge," com- 
municated directly " by the same Spirit,'' perhaps 
he will be able to correct the apostle. But Mr. 
Ray says : 

*' When we speak of a call to the ministry, we do not mean 
what some are pleased to term a ^ miraculous call/ or an audible 
voice calling to this work; but we mean that there is a divine 
impression made by the Holy Spirit, moving individuals to the 
work of a gospel preacher." p. 293. 

If he does not mean " miraculous call," then 
wh)^ does he quote miraculous gifts to back it up ? 
And if it is not an audible voice calling to the work, 
he has no right to designate it a call to the minis- 
try. How can a call that is not a call be a call, any 
more than a voice that is not a voice can be a voice ? 
The Scriptural calls to the ministry were by an 
audible voice. But Mr. Ray's calls are without a 
voice. Perhaps they are the calls of hunger. But 
he explains it as "a divine impression made b)^ the 
Holy Spirit moving individuals to the work." Do 
not all good Christians have a divine impression 



AlViBASSADORS. 221 

moving them to good works? If they have not, 
they ought to have. If they have, then they have 
the " call" that Mr. Ray describes, and have just 
as much a call to good works as Mr. Ray has a 
'' call to the ministry." In trying to abandon the 
old absurd doctrine of a miraculous call to the min- 
istry, in which voices calling them to go preach the 
gospel, were supposed to be heard, emanating from 
angels or spirits, men or monkeys, mules or don- 
keys, or almost any other sonorous agent, and yet 
try to retain l/ze things it seems difficult to adapt a 
nomenclature to the clothing and ornamentation of 
the concern in its new position, so as to hide its 
deformities, and not smother it to death. And so 
Mr. Ray has it a call, and then no call, a kind of a 
call, no call. Perhaps we had better brand it a what 
is it? and turn it loose. 

But he insists upon having ambassadors in the 
Church now, and, p. 294, quotes Paul : 

*' Now then we are ambassadors for Christ ; as though God did 
beseech you bv us ; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye recon- 
ciled to God." 2 Cor. v: 20. 

He then adds : 

*• And as no ambassador of State can appoint himself, neither 
can the ambassadors of Christ appoint themseU'CS. A self-con- 
stituted ambassador is clothed with no authority whatever, and 
such a minister of State to a foreign government, or to a rebellious 
province would exhibit the extreme of ignorance and presump- 
tion. And likewise, a self-constituted ambassador of Christ 
exhibits the superlative degree of folly and wickedness." 

These ambassadors for Christ were the apostles, 
and the preceding verse tells us '' that God was in 



221 TEXT BOOIt EXPOSED. 

Christ reconciling the world to himself," ''and hath 
committed unto us [the apostles] the word of recon- 
ciliation." So the word, or terms, of reconcilia- 
tion were committed to the apostles as ambassadors 
of Christ. And thev have made known the terms 
of reconciliation, written them out, and signed and 
sealed them, and their mission as ambassadors 
ended when they left the world, and they can have 
no successors. If Mr. Ray has any ambassadors 
in his church they must be appointed to announce 
some new terms of reconciliation, or terms for 
some new kingdom. For Christ's ambassadors 
'announced the terms of reconciliation for his king- 
dom. 

When two nations have been at war, and a treaty 
of peace is to be concluded, ambassadors are 
appointed with authority to write out and sign the 
terms of reconciliation, and seal them with the seal 
of government. And they carry credentials from 
their governments. When they have written, 
signed and sealed the terms, no man is authorized 
to change the terms. And if a man comes to you 
assuming the role of an ambassador, you have a 
right to demand his credentials, and if he can not 
produce them, you regard him as an impostor. 

So, if a man comes to you to-day, claiming to be 
an ambassador for Christ, you have a right to 
demand his credentials, and if he can not produce 
them, to regard him as an impostor. The creden- 
tials of Christ's ambassadors read thus : 



AMBASSADORS. ^23 

^* In mj name shall thej cast out devils; they shall speak with 
new tongues ; they shall take up serpents ; and if they drink any 
deadly thing it shall not hurt them ; they shall lay hands oh the 
sick and they shall recover." Mark xvi : 17, 18. 

None but apostles ever had these credentials, 
and a man has no more right to claim to be an 
ambassador for Christ, and not be able to show 
these credentials, than a man has to claim to be an 
ambassador for some government, and have no cre- 
dentials. Timothy and Titus, and Silas and Philip, 
and those of that class, though possessing some of 
the distributed gifts, were not ambassadors, and had 
not the apostolic credentials. 

The ambassadors having declared the terms of 
reconciling man to God, man being the alienated 
party, the practice under it is : ''We pray you in 
Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 2 Cor. 
V : 20. And that is the practice we follow. But if 
there are some new ambassadors, they will most 
likely change the terms. In some of the modern 
creeds, instead of reading, to reconcile man to 
God, it changes to read, to reconcile Ais Father to 
us. And if modern ambassadors have changed the 
terms, it is not astonishing that they should change 
the practice, and pray God to be reconciled to these 
sinners, instead of praying sinners to be recon- 
ciled to God. 

Then if Mr. Ray has ambassadors in his Baptist 
kingdom, they are not ambassadors for Christ, as 
not one of them can show the credentials of those 
functionaries. Then it follows that they are ''self- 



^24 Text Booit exposed. 

constituted ambassadors," and probably the same 
that satior the photograph Mr. Ray gave us above, 
exhibiting "the extreme of ignorance and pre- 
sumption," and, ''the superlative degree of folly 
and wickedness." 

The preachers, among the churches of Christ, 
are set apart by the churches to the work of the 
ministry, to hold forth the word of life. They 
announce to the alien sinner the terms, " the word 
of reconciliation," as established and confirmed by 
the ambassadors, and do not claim ambassadorial 
authority to make or change the terms. 

If the malignant spirit, blasphemous misrepre- 
sentations, willful perversions, and foul calumnies, 
exhibited in the Text Book, are the characteristics 
of a call to the ministry, then the call is not divine, 
but bears unmistakable marks of an opposite 
paternity. And yet Mr. Ray gravely writes down, 
p. 364, as the 38th article of his Baptist Creed : 

<* Baptists teach that the true ministers of Christ are divinely 
called to this important work." 




CHAPTER XIX. 

THE DOUBLE CREED. 

Mr. Ray v/rites out a Creed for the Baptists con- 
taining thirty-nine articles, pp. 357-365. He calls 
it Baptist doctrine, and says Baptists teach it. 
The number, thirty-nine is significant. But 
whether Baptists generally swallow the nostrum 
Mr. Ray has compounded for them, of these thirty- 
nine articles, I know not, but if they do, so much 
the worse for the Baptists. 

Then, side by side with his Baptist Creed, he 
has constructed and placed, seriatim^ article by 
article, in numerical order, a Creed of the same 
number of articles, and intended to be individually 
and respectively antipodal to the other in its 
entirety. This latter is a gross burlesque, and the 
travesty of every thing that might be honestly and 
decently called a Creed, and officiously composed, 
and insultingly thrust upon his pet colony, by him 
called Campbellites. 

A small percentage of these articles might be 
recognized as true, were it not for their grotesque 
dress and sinister companionship. But the major- 
ity of them are as basely false and slanderous as 

225 



226 TEX-r BOOK EXPOSED. 

the devil, in whose interest they are written, could 
well desire. Many of these have already been 
exposed in previous chapters, such as: " Camp- 
bellites teach a reformation produced without the 
aid of the Holy Spirit," etc.. No. 14 ; " Campbell- 
ites have inverted the Bible order of repentance 
and faith," etc.. No. 15 ; " CampbeUites teach that 
immersion alone is the act of turning to God," etc., 
No. 23 ; " CampbeUites teach that Satan, with his 
accomplices, is now confined in the chains of hell," 
etc., No. 31, and others. 

When Mr. Ray had completed his caricature of 
a creed, rounded it off in the traditional number 
Thirty-nine, and paused to admire the cunning dress 
of his bantling, it requires but little stretch of the 
imagination to see in the back-ground of the pic- 
ture, that the devil leaned back in his chair, and, 
grinning a ghastly smile, said : " Well done, good 
and faithful servant ; you shall be promoted, and 
bear the Flag of my choicest regiment in the great 
Battle that I am waging against the word of God, 
the seed of the kingdom of heaven, but the bane of 
my kingdom. It must be rescued from the hearts 
of the people, or my cause is lost, and in this work 
you have distanced all your predecessors. Tom 
Paine did me much service, in his day, by his 'Age 
of Reason,' but you have eclipsed him, by planting 
your battery in a new field, and firing from a masked 
battery, and from a -professedly religious stand- 
point." 



THE BOUBLIC CREED, 



227 



Mr. Ray need not flatter himself that Christians 
will adopt either of his creeds. They have a bet- 
ter one, written by the apostles, the true ambassa- 
dors of Christ, over eighteen hundred years ago. 




Mii:!i:itu> 




^>^-^ 



CHAPTER XX. 

THE devil's dictionary. 

Mr. Ray constructs a dictionary, to which he 
attaches the euphonious and specious name of 
Glossary of the Bethany Dialect. But his 
vocabulary becomes somewhat meagre or reticent, 
and his dictionary shrinks its proportions in magni- 
tude or multitude, to the numerical stature of sev- 
enteen. B}^ wresting a few clauses from their con- 
nection, some of these are made to appear phan- 
tastic enough, while others, imbibing the prevaiUng 
spirit of the Text Book, present unmitigated false- 
hoods. Of the latter class are : Born of the 
Spirit, defined to mean hnniersion ; The new 
BIRTH, defined to mean immersion ; Purified 
FROM SIN, defined to mean immersion ; Turning 
TO God, to mean immersion alone ; That a 
CHANGE OF HEART, mcaus simply a change of views. 

These are specimens from the dictionary, and I 
presume the devil received it into his armory as 
good ammunition, though few in number. Some of 
these have also been exposed in previous chapters. 



228 



CHAPTER XXI. 

EXEGETICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS. 

In this chapter, I shall introduce a few points 
that have not been grouped under the headings of 
previous chapters. 

I. OUTWARD BODILY ACTS. 

On p. 240, Mr. Ray quotes from Mr. Campbell, 
Christ. Rest., p. 253 : 

*< There is no such thing as outward bodily acts in the Chris- 
tian institution, and less than in all others in the act of immer- 
sion. Then it is that the spirit, soul and body of man become 
one with the Lord ; then it is that the power of the name of the 
Father, Son and Holy Spirit comes upon us ; then it is that we 
are enrolled among the children of God, and enter the ark, 
which will, if we abide in it, transport us to the mount of God." 

On this, Mr. Ray says : "If immersion is not an 
outward act, it must be and internal act," and tries 
to make capital of the language he quotes from Mr. 
Campbell. 

But his sneers will fail to stick, and his point 
become pointless, when you learn that Mr. Camp- 
bell was speaking of the views of baptism as a viere 
external and bodily act. Paul says : '' For bodily 
exercise profits little," i Tim. iv:8, and adds: 
'' But godliness is profitable unto all things [for all] 

229 



230 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

having the promise of the life that now is, and oi 
that which is to come." The ''bodily exercise" 
was the bodily or physical gymnasia which was for 
the training and development of the body, but was 
only for this life, while godliness reached into the 
next life. That baptism does not belong to the acts 
of bodily gymnasia is plain, and that it is included 
in the other category of godliness is equally plain. 
We give our whole heart to the Lord when we 
accept him by faith. We surrender our whole soul 
or life to him in repentance when we change our 
will, and resolve to serve him. We yield our whole 
body to him in yielding obedience to the gospel 
when we are baptized. But that is not a bodily act 
or physical exercise on the part of the subject, who 
is the recipient of the benefit, nor is it designed for 
the strengthening of the body. 

Mr. Campbell was speaking of that subject in the 
article from which Mr. Ray quoted the above 
extract. Here is Mr. Campbell's language : 

'^ Views of baptism, as a mere external and bodily act, exert a 
very injurious influence on the understanding and practice of 
men. Hence, many ascribe to it so little importance in the 
Christian economy. * Bodily exercise,' says Paul, * profits little.' 
We have been taught to regard immersion in water, in the name 
of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as an act of the 
whole man, body, soul and spirit. The soul of the intelligent 
subject is as fully immersed into the Lord Jesiis^ as his body is 
immersed iji tJie water. His soul rises with the Lord Jesus, as 
his body rises out of the water; and into one Spirit with all the 
family of God is he immersed. It is not like circumcising a 
Hebrew infant, or proselyting to Moses a Gentile adult. The 
candidate believing in the person, mission and character of the 



EXEGETICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS. 23I 

Son of God, and willing to submit to him immediately, upon 
recognizing him, hastens to be buried with the Lord, and to 
rise with him, not corporally, but spiritually, with his whole 
soul. Reader, be admonished how you speak of bodily acts in 
obedience to divine institutions. Remember Eve, Adam, and all 
transgressors on the one hand. Remember Abel, Noah, Enoch, 
Moses, Abraham, down to the harlot Rahab, on the other; and 
be cautious hov/ you speak of bodily acts! Rather remember 
the sacrifice of a body on Mount Calvary, and talk not lightly of 
bodily acts. There is no such thing as outward bodily acts in 
the Christian institution; and less than in all others, in the act 
of immersion. Then it is that the spirit, soul and body of man 
become one with the Lord. Then it is that the power of the 
name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon us. Then it 
is that we are enrolled among the children of God, and enter 
the ark, w^iich will, if w^e abide in it, transport us to the mount 
of God." 

II. HEREDITARY TOTAL DEPRAVITY. 

In his double Creed^Mr. Ray puts his thirty- 
sixth article thus : 

'* Baptists teach that men, in a state of nature, are entirely 
depraved. Campbellites teach that sinners are only partially 
depraved." p. 364. 

Here we have, in a new dress, that time worn, 
absurd, disgusting, degrading, self-stultifying, soul 
destroying, God dishonoring, and Satanic doctrine 
of hereditary total depravity. "In a state of 
nature," means the same as hereditary. Nature is 
from nattis^ born, and what we inherit by birth, or 
are born to, is hereditary. But God is the author 
of nature, and that which we are by nature, God is 
responsible for, and if we charge total depravity to 
nature, we throw the responsibility of man's 
depravity upon God, and the totally depraved are 



232 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

not thereby sinners, for if it is the law of their 
nature they have nottransgressed the law to become 
so, and sin being transgression of law, they are not 
sinners. 

Depraved, means made bad, or worse, and if 
they are made bad, or worse, by nature, and God 
is the author of nature, then God made them bad 
or worse. But entirely or totally, \_iotus, the 
whole], the whole or wholly. Then God made 
them wholly bad, or entirely bad. They can not be 
an}^ worse than wholly or entirely bad, that is, God 
made them as bad as they can be. But Paul said : 
''Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and 
worse," 2 Tim. iii : 13. " Wax " means to become, 
and if according to Mr. Ray's doctrine, God made 
them as bad as they could be, they can not become 
worse and worse. So Paul is mistaken, or else Mr. 
Ray's doctrine is false. 

Jesus said of men in that day : 

'* For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull 
of hearing, and their eyes they have closed." Matt, xiii : 15. 

But total depravity says, Jesus was mistaken, for 
their hearts could not wax [become] gross, for God 
made them as bad as they could be at first, and they 
were not responsible for closing their eyes against 

the word. Jesus said: 

"The seed is the word of God," and "That on the good 
ground are they, who in an honest and good heart, having heard 
the v^ord keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." Luke 
viii: II, 15. 

But Mr. Ray's doctrine contradicts that and says. 



EXEGETICAL AND INIISCELLANEOUS. 233 

man is entirely depraved, has no honest and good 
heart, and therefore can not receive the w^ord as the 
Savior says. Then, if Mr. Ray's doctrine of 
depravity is true, men can not be saved, for the 
word of God is the seed, and they can not receive 
the seed into the heart, beHeve, understanding it, 
and be saved. So it is very clear that the doctrine 
that men are entirely depraved, is one of the 
devices used to " take away the word out of their 
hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.'' 
LfUke viii : 12. 

Just think of a group of little children who have 
never known sin, playing together in all the glee of 
native innocence, and then think of Mr. Ray's doc- 
trine consigning them all to the gloomy shades of 
total depravity, all as bad as they can be, and as 
bad as the devil himself, for he can not be more 
than totally or entirely depraved. 

If anything would convince me of the truth of 
the doctrine of total depravity, it would be the read- 
ing of the Text Book on Campbellism. I believe 
I am prepared to concede to the author of the Text 
Book all he claims in that direction, provided it is 
confined to the singular number, and confined to 
one man, and that man the author of the Text Book. 
With that limitation I admit the abut^dance of evi- 
dence, but I can not consent to apply it to common 
sinners, and the rest of mankind. 



234 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

III. SIMON, THE SORCERER. 

Mr. Ray says, p. 183 : 

'* While it is true that some believers who are pardoned are 
unimmersed, it is also true that some immersed or baptized per- 
sons are still unpardoned or condemned." 

The first clause is an assumption without clear 
Scriptural proof. The truth of the second depends 
upon whether the baptized persons were believers, 
a point which he very adroitly omits. But Mr. 
Ray attempts to prove it by manufacturing testi- 
mony, to produce an example. He says : 

^' Simon, the sorcerer, was baptized with as much faith as 
Campbellites require, vet he was still ^ in the gall of bitterness 
and in the bond of iniquity,' for his heart Avas not right in the 
sight of God." Actsviii:23. 

Now the Scripture does not say he was still in 
the gall of bitterness . . Mr. Ray says that, in order to 
make out his case, and as he knows better than the 
inspired word of God, of course he expects the 
ignorant to take his word for it. 

The facts as narrated by Dr. Luke, Acts viii : 5- 
24, are these : Philip preached Christ to them ; the 
Samaritans heard, believed, and were baptized- 
There was great joy in that city. Simon also 
believed and was baptized. The apostles at Jeru- 
salem sent Peter and John, who laid hands on them^ 
and they received the Holy Spirit [miraculous 
gifts]. Simon, who had continued with the 
preacher to this time, seeing the apostles confer the 
Holy Spirit, by laying on hands, thought to buy the 
apostolic power of conferring those miraculous 



EXEGETICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS. 235 

powers. That was his mistake, no more, no less. 
And that mistake is all he is charged with. There 
are thousands in our day who make worse mistakes 
than that after they have believed and been bap- 
tized. x\nd some even assume to be ambassadors 
without the ambassadorial power that Simon wanted 
to purchase. If Simon's mistake was an unpardon- 
able sin, what must be the fate of a modern Simon 
who can put more than half a thousand lies into one 
book? 

Peter informed Simon that he had no part or lot 
in this matter, that is, the power to confer the Holy 
Spirit, for that was what he offered to purchase. 
That power belonged to the apostles alone. But 
Peter told him to repent of this his wickedness, 
just this one, that was all that stood against him,; 
and to pray God to forgive the thought of his heart, 
not thoughts, that one thought, for he was in the 
gall of bitterness, not still in the gall, and was in 
the bond of iniquity, not bonds of iniquity, all in 
the singular number, showing that this one mistake, 
one thought of the heart, one sin, was all that Peter 
charged him with. But was this an unpardonable 
sin? A sin unto death is an unpardonable sin. 

John says : 

<* There is a sin unto death ; I do not say that je shall pray for 
it; and there is a sin not unto death." i John v: 16, 17. 

John was present with Peter on this occasion, 
and if this had been a sin unto death they would 
not have told him to pray for it. Again, Peter was 



236 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

present and cognizant of a sin unto death in the 
case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts v: i-ii), and 
did not tell them to pray for forgiveness, but 
let them suffer the penalty. As Peter and John 
both had the power of discerning spirits, they knew 
whether Simon had committed an unpardonable 
sin. If unpardonable, they would not have 
instructed him to repent and pray God to forgive it. 
But they did so instruct him, therefore, Simon's 
thought was not a sin unto death. 

Just here we have an application of the law of 
forgiveness for sins committed after baptism. 
Simon and the Samaritans had complied with the 
law of forgiveness in the name of Jesus, when they 
heard, believed, and were baptized. And now for 
a sin committed after baptism, the command is : 
'^ Repent and pray God," while to the alien who 
had believed, it was : " Repent and be baptized." 

Mr. Ray's pos-ition is that Simon, the sorcerer, 
was not pardoned, but was still in the gall of bitter- 
ness. Now it becomes " a question of veracity," 
between Mr. Ray on the one side, and Dr. Luke 
and the Savior on the other. Jesus says: ''He 
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." 
Mark xvi : 16. We have seen that saved in this 
place is in the sense of forgiven. Did Jesus tell 
the truth ? Or do you impeach the witness ? Luke 
says : Simon believed and was baptized. Did he 
testify truly, or do you question his veracity? If 
Luke told the truth, Simon was a baptized believer. 



EXEGETICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS. 237 

And if Jesus told the truth he was saved, pardoned, 
forgiven, before he committed the sin ascribed to 
him. But Mr. Ray says he was not, and Baptist 
theology requires him to say so. It stands Ray 
against the Scriptures, and the Scriptures against 
Ray. Which shall we believe? Shall we say: 
Let Mr. Ray be true, though it make God a liar? 
Or shall we say : Let God be true, though it make 
every man a liar? 

IV. CORNELIUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

In his desperation, as a last resort, a kind of 
forlorn hope, in trying to sustain his dogma of 
remission before obedience, Mr. Ray, p. 184, 
quotes the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Gen- 
tiles, Acts X : 44-48, and then gets off the following : 

"From this it appears that Cornelius, with his friends, had 
received the gift of the Holy Spirit, which enabled them to speak 
with tongues and magnify God — all of which occurred before 
they were baptized. As the miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit 
which enabled the possessor to speak with tongues was never 
conferred on the unpardoned sinner, but was always bestowed 
upon the servants and handmaids of God, it follows, therefore, 
as an infallible certainty, that Cornelius and his friends were 
pardoned before immersion. All the turning and twisting pecu- 
liar to the Bethany School will be insufficient to deliver the 
Campbellites from the difficulty into which they are plunged by 
the simple relation of the conversion of Cornelius as given by 
inspiration." 

A brief exegesis of the narrative of the conver- 
sion of Cornelius will suffice to show that, ''AH 
the turning and twisting peculiar to the" Text 
Book "will be insufficient to deliver" Mr. Ray 



238 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

^'from the difficulty into which" he and his Bap- 
tist theology " are plunged by the simple relation" 
and common sense understanding, of the conversion 
of Cornelius and the Gentiles with him. 

Mr. Ray assumes that the miraculous gift enabling 
the possessor to speak with tongues, was never con- 
ferred upon the unpardoned sinner. But he does 
not inform us how he came in possession of his 
universal proposition, nor whether Balaam's saddle- 
horse, that spoke with man's voice, was pardoned 
before it received the gift of speaking with tongues. 

The mi7'aculous gift of the Spirit is not presented 
as an evidence of pardon, nor as having a neces- 
sary connection with the forgiveness of the posses- 
sor, nor is it in the case of Cornelius, or any other, 
presented as a necessary element in conversion. 

A careful analysis of the account yields these 
facts (see Acts x : 1-48 and xi : 1-18) : 

a. Cornelius was a devout man. (v. 2.) 

b. He was a praying man. (v. 2. ) 

c. He prayed to God, not to Jupiter, hence evi- 
dently a proselyte to the Jews' religion, and as good 
as a man could be in the Jewish church, or before 
remission in the name of Jesus, and that, he had 
not been informed, was the privilege of a Gentile. 

d. He saw an angel, (v. 3.) 

' e. Was informed that his prayers were heard. 

(v. 4' 3I-) 

f. The angel was sent to inform him where to 
send for the preacher who should tell him what to 
do to be saved, (vs. 6, 22, 32 and xi : 14.) 



EXEGETICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS. 239 

g, Peter sees a vision of mixed animals, to con- 
vince him that Gentiles were no longer to be 
rejected. 

h. The Spirit told Peter to go wdth the men. 

i. The family of Cornelius consisted of kinsmen 
and friends v^ho were ready to hear all that God 
had commanded Peter. 

y. Peter preached the word that he had preached 
to the Jews on Pentecost, and proved that Jesus 
was Lord of all, and that those who believe on him 
shall receive remission of sins through his name, 
(v. 43.) Peter was sent there to tell them what to 
do to be saved, and has not yet told them to do any- 
thing. But the next thing he said to them was : ' ' He 
commanded them to be baptized in the name of the 
Lord." (v. 48.) Now he has told them what to 
do, and just what he told them to do for remission 
in his name on Pentecost. Now w^e have the con- 
version of the Gentiles just like all other conver- 
sions. 

But there were some miraculous events which we 
must now attend to : 

First. The angel spoke to him, but not to convert 
him, but tell him w^here to find Peter, and as we 
know where to find Peter, and hear him, both at 
Jerusalem and Cesarea, we do not need to wait for 
an angel. 

Second. The great sheet was sent to Peter to 
convince him that the distinction between Jew and 
Gentile was broken down. We do not need the sheet. 



240 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

Third. The Spirit spoke to Peter, the preacher, 
to convince him that he might go to the Gentiles. 
Preachers now know that they may go to the Gen- 
tiles, and do not need to be miraculously con- 
vinced. 

Fourth. The Spirit fell upon the Gentiles, as it 
had upon the Jews at Pentecost. Three out of 
four miraculous signs have been eliminated, as not 
being elements or factors in conversion. We will 
now examine this. 

If you claim that the Holy Spirit falling upon 
them, was a part of the conversion, or an essential 
element in conversion, then it should continue and 
be uniform. And you are bound to tell what it 
was for, or else withdraw your claim to its being 
an element in conversion. So you may assume or 
guess what it was for. 

1. "Well," says one, "I think it was to give 
them faith." Now if I say, I think it was not for 
that, we are even, as my think and your think will 
just balance. With your consent we will leave it 
to Peter, who was there and knows all about it. 
"Peter, is that the way they received their faith?" 
Peter answers : 

''You know how that a good while ago God made choice 
among us, that the Gentiles bj my mouth should hear the word 
of the gospel, and believe." Acts xv 17. 

2. Another says : "I think it was to regenerate 
them, or that they were born again by the Spirit." 
We leave it to Peter again, and he answers : 



EXEGETICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS. 24I 

** Being born again [begotten], not of corruptible seed, but of 
incorruptible, by the word of God." i Pet. i: 23. 

3. A third assumes that it was to purify the 
heart, and we leave that to Peter, and he responds, 
in speaking of the same case : 

** And put no difference between us and them, purifying their 
hearts by faith." Acts xv: 9. 

4. A fourth ventures to assume that it was to 
-purify their souls. And Peter responds : 

"Seeing je have purified your souls in obeying the truth 
through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren." i 
Peter i: 22. 

5. Finally, one ventures to guess that it was for 
the remission of sins, or as an evidence that their 
sins were pardoned. 

Now Peter, did you teach them that they should 
receive remission of sins through the Holy Spirit 
coming upon them? Peter answers, no, I taught 
thern nothing of that kind, but my instruction to 
them was: "That through his name, whosoever 
believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." 
Acts X 143. And how did you get them to his- 
name? " Commanded them to be baptized in the 
name of the Lord." Acts x : 48. 

Now you have made five assumptions, and Peter 
has decided that you are mistaken in every one. 

Now that Peter has told us five times what it was 
not for ^ will you accept his answer when he tells us- 
what it was for? 

Peter responds : 

**And God, who knoweth the hearts, bear them witness, giving: 
them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us." Actsxv: 8. 

q 



242 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

But to what did God bear witness, or testify for 
"them ? Peter answers again : 

** Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did 
unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that 
I could withstand God? When they heard these things they held 
their peace, and glorified God, saying, then hath God also to the 
Gentiles granted repentance unto life." Acts xi : 17, 18. 

Peter, with the apostles and brethren, here decide, 
that it was God's testimony that the Gentiles were 
permitted to be saved through the gospel, and that 
to the Gentiles was granted repentance unto life. 
And it came just at the right time, for Peter had 
not yet told them what to do to be saved. And as 
soon as God had testified that the Gentiles might 
be saved, Peter at once told them what to do to be 
saved, and '' commanded them to be baptized in 
the name of the Lord." 




CHAPTER XXII. 

CONCLUSION. 

In his conclusion, the author of the Text Book, 
with almost super-satanic impudence, invites all true 
Christians to leave the churches of Christ, and the 
high position they have taken in the sunlight of 
the word of God, as their only guide, and the 
Scripturally authorized name, and step down into 
the mists of the twilight of his human organization, 
with a human name and usurped claim to be the 
Church of Christ. In that he finds a precedent or 
kind of prototype in the example of Satan himself, 
who gave a similar invitation to the Head of the 
Church and our great Leader to come into his camp 
and worship him just this once. He also backs up 
his proposition with three reasons, as Satan did his 
by three distinct appeals. 

He also makes use of that significant '' if." He 
says, '' If 5^ou are not a Campbellite, come out from 
the Campbellite society." So, in the prototype, 
Satan said : '' If thou be the Son of God, cast thy- 
self down." Cut we have learned that in the Text 
Book dialect, a '' CampbelUte " means one who 
believes, obeys, and follows the word of God 

243 



244 TEXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

implicitly and confidently, refusing all human 
creeds and human names religiously. In this light, 
then, the sentence virtually invites all who do not 
really believe and follow Christ and his word, as 
given by his ambassadors, to come out from the 
churches of Christ, abandon the Scriptural name 
Christian, desert the banner of Christ, and come 
and march under a Baptist Flag. But there stands 
that "if " in the way. If there are any among us 
who do not believe the word of God, and the apos- 
tles' doctrine, etc., possibly they may take him at 
his word, and follow him into the mists of secta- 
rianism. But no one who understands our teaching 
and has confidence in the word of God, can be 
induced, after reading the Text Book, to inhale the 
pestiferous air of a camp from which emanates so 
vile a thing as the Text Book on Campbellism. 

There is an implied infidelity lurking under that 
traditional "if." It suggests a doubt. When 
Satan used it, to Jesus, he virtually questioned the 
truth of the word of God uttered from heaven, 
" This is my beloved Son." So, when used in the 
sentence above quoted from the Text Book, it 
implies a doubt as to the truth of the word of the 
Savior, "The seed is the word of God," and 
seems to question whether the good seed sown in 
the heart will really produce Christians. Still he 
has labored through the Text Book to try to take 
away the word of God out of the hearts of the peo- 
ple, by poisoning their minds by prejudice, to try 



CONCLUSION. 245 

to prevent them from hearing it, and at the conclu- 
sion makes this desperate effort to sow Baptist 
seed. When the word of God is sown in the heart, 
and grows^ it produces Christians. If Baptist seed 
is sown, it produces Baptists. As an enemy sowed 
tares among the good seed, and the tares grew, so 
it is possible for Baptist tares sown by the Text 
Book, to grow even amongst the good wheat. 

But I advise every Disciple of Christ, and every 
lover of the truth, to follow the example of our great 
Leader when assailed, who made his successful 
defense with the sword of the Spirit, the word of 
God, sa3dng : '' Thus it is written." In like man- 
ner, you can defend yourselves "against the wiles 
of the devil," as put forth in the Text Book. 

He admits and claims that one object he had in 
view in writing the Text Book was to show more 
clearly the difference between Baptists and Disci- 
ples of Christ, or perhaps rather to widen that dif- 
ference,, in deprecation of a union. In this, no 
doubt, he has succeeded in one direction, though 
not just in the direction he desired. For surely no 
intelligent Disciple of Christ, after reading his vile 
and slanderous misrepresentations, can be deluded 
into his gull trap, and step down from the sunlight 
of apostolic teaching, and camp amidst the mists 
of Baptistism. If the spirit of the Text Book in 
any degree reflects the spirit of the Baptists, it will 
almost lead the honest reader to despise the Bap- 
tist name, and regard the Text Book and its 



246 ^EXT BOOK EXPOSED. 

deluded supporters, as enlisted in a combat in 
Satan's legion in the cause of anti-christ. 

Now in conclusion, I earnestly call upon all to 
adhere firmly to the word of God. Can you not 
trust it? Is it not more reliable than the word of 
men? If 3^ou have never made your decision, and 
are hesitating as to what church to join, let the 
word of God decide it. Never join a church whose 
name is not found in the apostolic writings. The 
Savior prayed for the unity of those who believe on 
him through their word^ and included in that unity^ 
none beyond that class. Johnxvii : 20, 21. A sec- 
tarian name would carry you outside the unity of 
the Savior's prayer, and in the great roll-call of 
eternity^ those names will not be called, and as an 
unregenerated passenger, you might not be waked 
up in time for the train. The books on the great 
white Throne, Rev. xx : I1-15, by which the dead 
will be judged, are : i . The book of the law for the 
Jews who lived under the law, and 2. The gospel as 
preached by Paul and the other apostles, for us who 
live under the gospel. See Romans ii : 12, 16. 
And the book or roll of life will contain the names 
of those whose faith and practice have been accord- 
ing to ''those things which were written in the, 
books." And as Paul says : " God shall judge the 
secrets of men according to my gospel," you can 
see whether your name, the name of your churchy 
is written in Paul's gospel, or by any of the apostles. 
If you have been lured into joining a church, the 
verv name of which is not found in the New Testa- 



CONCLUSION. 247 

ment, 3^011 can know from the Scriptures that you are 
in the wrong place, and w^orking in the cause of sec- 
tarianism and division. If you receive your faith 
in some other w^ay than through the apostles' word,, 
that again throws you outside of the unity of the 
Savior's prayer. If the practice of your church 
differs from the apostolic practice, in making disci- 
ples or the work of conversion, as recorded in Acts 
of apostles, you are again on dangerous ground. 1 
warn you to be careful. There is no safe ground 
but in following the apostles' teaching and practice- 
As you love the cause of Christ and value your own 
salvation, I entreat you in the name of Christianity 
and of our common humanity, drop your sectarian^^ 
name, and abandon all human theories as bonds of 
union and communion, and come stand with us on 
the word of God as our only sure and authoritative 
guide as a manual of faith, and practice, and name. 
It presents the only foundation upon which all can 
unite, the only name under which all can live, the 
only banner under which all can march and battle 
for the Lord, and the only teachingupon which the 
followers of Jesus Christ can ever all agree. We 
do not need to '^ 'prove our doctrines by the Scrip- 
tures," but we read our doctrines in the Scriptures. 
And we do not require as an article of faith to be 
believed or practiced, as a condition of fellowship,. 
any thing that you can not read in the apostles^ 
writings. 



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